Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo finally took to the court together after a blockbuster offseason trade paired them up on the Milwaukee Bucks. Their preseason debut was star-studded, as they took on the Lakers with a crowd of anxious fans watching them from around the world.
The Bucks walked out 108-97 winners on the night in an exciting game against the Lakers. Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped an effortless 16 points and eight rebounds in just 15 minutes. Lillard had to shake off the cobwebs of a long offseason and managed to score 14 points in 22 minutes. He shot only 3/10 from the field, so he’ll be looking to improve his accuracy as we get closer to the season.
The Lakers had rested LeBron James in this contest, but Anthony Davis featured heavily in the first half. He scored 16 points with seven rebounds and five assists on the night, but that wasn’t enough for the Lakers. Fans reacted to the world finally getting to see the Lillard-Antetokounmpo duo on the court.
Fans Loved The Duo’s Debut
Lakers fans were already singing praises of D’Angelo Russell for his astute defense on Lillard for most of the time they were matched up.
https://twitter.com/JamesEdrick3/status/1713700168346812500
The bits of connections between Giannis and Dame really encouraged fans about the danger this duo can pose next season.
Damian Lillard has described his introduction to the Bucks as a “seamless” transition and the ramp up to the start of the season should continue to be a smooth process for Dame and the rest of the group. It really is a perfect fit for Lillard in Milwaukee. pic.twitter.com/jGZSzP6GzF
— Jake Weinbach (@JWeinbachNBA) October 16, 2023
Bucks fans are happy to see their team win the first contest that Giannis and Dame were ever teammates in.
“LaVar, what’s the Bucks record with Damian Lillard playing?” pic.twitter.com/uEC7ys225q
— Rohan Katti (@RKattiJr) October 16, 2023
Even with the shooting struggles, it’s clear that Lillard is a difference-making on-ball player that the Bucks haven’t had in a long time.
Damian Lillard is obscenely good, folks. Even with Beasley and Brook being ice cold and there being some adjusting going on still, you can see the outline of a truly dominant Bucks team tonight.
Also they'll be dropping in a Khris Middleton soon. Sheesh
— Ti Windisch (@TiWindisch) October 16, 2023
Giannis showed off his new footwork in the post in this game, working extensively with Hakeem Olajuwon this summer to improve on that front.
Giannis been in the lab with Hakeem 👀 pic.twitter.com/3ClU0S7B1s
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 15, 2023
More fans wondered if the Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo pick-and-roll is even guardable.
How do you guard a Dame & Giannis Pick & Roll?
You let Jae Crowder take threes from the hash, send quick doubles shortly after the initial catch, and cross match in transition as much as possible.
That’s what I’m seeing right now at least
— GrandMaster Gifted🏀🎮 (@GiftedHoops_) October 15, 2023
If that fan’s opinion wasn’t enough, others were sharing clips of the pick-and-roll that will tear the league to shreds this season.
Giannis- Dame PNR is literally unstoppable. Wide open looks everywhere pic.twitter.com/7IwaXk9OPq
— ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴡ (@FeelLikeDrew) October 15, 2023
Considering this was the first preseason game the Bucks played with their new unit, the league would have had their eyes on this contest. Preseason wins and losses are immaterial due to the rotations at work, but Lillard and Giannis have shown already that they can be game-winning difference-makers.
Hopefully, Lillard can find his shot before the start of the season, as that could genuinely make this team unstoppable.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Wants Realistic Expectations For The Bucks
The league seems to really buy into the Dame and Giannis duo, with the pairing making the Bucks among the favorites to win the title. While most GMs and media houses have the Bucks behind the Celtics in the East, some think the Bucks will be the ones to win the title this season.
Giannis wants everyone to have tempered expectations, given the lack of chemistry between Lillard and the rest of the team.
“We haven’t won anything,” said Giannis on his partnership with Lillard. “There’s going to be a lot of hype around us, but we haven’t done anything. We haven’t even played a game yet. So, we can talk about it all day, but at the end of the day, our actions speak louder than words. But we have an opportunity to do something great, and that’s exciting for me.”
This duo could fall flat on their face upon the start of the season. Even though that’s unlikely, it’s smart to see Giannis prepare for the media’s expectations accordingly.
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