With Giannis Antetokounmpo out for the Milwaukee Bucks‘ NBA Cup battle with the Miami Heat on Tuesday, Damian Lillard knew the offense depended on him. In the first quarter, it almost completely did.
Lillard scored 17 of his team’s first 22 points, hitting his first five shots and a trio of free throws. He was 4-for-5 from deep, and didn’t miss a shot until seven minutes into the game.
When he wasn’t scoring, he was passing to the Milwaukee teammate who did, assisting on the first three Bucks baskets not sunk by him.
A year into the partnership between Lillard and Antetokounmpo, the fit is still uneasy. Mainly because both players are most comfortable initiating offense with the ball in their hands. One element to Lillard’s drop-off after leaving Portland is that he’s had to adjust from getting to — and having to — carry the entire offense himself.
With the Greek Freak out, the ball-dominant Lillard thrived Tuesday night, not hesitating to cook defenders in isolation and bomb away from deep. That’s not the best way to maximize Antetokounmpo, a dominating paint player, but it’s probably Lillard’s favorite way to play. He’s very good at it.
In his sideline interview after the first quarter, Lillard explaining, “I’ve been scoring the ball a long time.”
The scoring spree also may have been due to Lillard’s excitement at playing in Miami, his preferred destination after requesting a trade last summer. Instead, the Portland Trail Blazers surprisingly sent him to Milwaukee instead.
It’s not ridiculous that Lillard could eventually end up in South Beach, especially if the Bucks continue to hang around the .500 mark. After all, the Heat have their own high-priced player in Jimmy Butler, who could be traded, as he can opt out of his contract after the season.
After all, he went to college in Marquette, a college located in … Milwaukee.
