- Former NBA coach says Bucks winning a title is no guarantee
- Karl says Jrue Holiday is more valuable than Damian Lillard in the postseason
- Milwaukee Bucks need to succeed after giving up the farm for star point guard
By most accounts, Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo have just become the NBA’s best duo after Milwaukee’s trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. And while the Bucks’ new costars are the perfect fit on paper, it seems not everyone is convinced that they will achieve prosperity.
On X/Twitter, former Bucks coach George Karl gave a hot take on the new-look Bucks, expressing doubt that they are better off with Lillard over Holiday in the postseason. “I think [Damian] Lillard probably makes them more exciting, more explosive. I think he’ll go in there with some excitement being on a team that can win the championship. But to be honest with you, in the playoffs, Holiday might be better than Lillard. I know statistically that won’t prove out but the intangibles that Holiday brings to the game, that’s what wins playoff games. The little things. The defensive ability to move around and cover different players. And, I think you can give Holiday some credit. He became a pretty good offensive player last season.”
"In the playoffs, [Jrue] Holiday might be better than [Damian] Lillard."
Former Bucks Head Coach and Hall of Famer George Karl weighed in on the Damian Lillard trade.@CoachKarl22 | @TheFrankIsola | @Scalabrine pic.twitter.com/wa2QSNAJPe
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) September 30, 2023
between Giannis’ inside attack and Lillard’s outside shooting, the Bucks are set up to have an unstoppable offense in the 2023-24 season. But it’s important to remember that this trade came at a cost to the Bucks. After trading Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, and multiple picks, Milwaukee has basically no assets for the future and everything rides on the next few years with Lillard and Giannis.
Are The Bucks Overrated?
Last season, without Lillard, the Bucks finished with the best record in the East and they looked absolutely unstoppable before their epic collapse in the playoffs. With Lillard, who averaged a career-high 32.2 points per game last season, Milwaukee should be much better off… but reality is more complicated than that.
In truth, Lillard’s arrival means the Bucks will take a step back in several areas on the floor, but especially defensively. While Lillard is known for being a bad defender, Hoiday is a notoriously good one and his play on that end helped the Bucks win a title a few years back. So with Jrue gone and replaced with Dame, fans and experts are wondering how Milwaukee’s defense will hold up, and if they will have an answer for some of the other top guards in the league.
Looking at Lillard specifically, his dominance in the regular season has been impressive but his track record for team success leaves much to be desired. With practically no experience in the late round of the playoffs, Dame is one of the only superstars in the league who has nothing to show for all of his efforts on the court. Of course, he’s got his best chance to change that now, and the pressure couldn’t be higher for the Bucks to deliver on expectations.
The Last Chance For Milwaukee
Pairing up with Damian Lillard is no doubt a dream scenario for Giannis, but there is no way out if this experiment fails to succeed. In fact, with just a few years remaining on the contracts for Lillard and Giannis, the window for winning a title is only a few years before it can all come crashing down.
So, if the Bucks want to stay competitive and fight for a championship every year, they have to hope and pray that trading for Lillard will get the desired results… or it could have some major implications on the franchise’s future. Either way, the world will be watching as it all unfolds.
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