The Milwaukee Bucks pulled off quite the comeback last night. Facing off against the New York Knicks they were led to victory thanks to the heroics of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. With one minute and three seconds left in the fourth quarter, Dame hit the go-ahead three, making the score 101-103 to 104-103.
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It was a huge basket that helped the Bucks to a 110-105 win at the Fiserv Forum. Following the game, in the post-match press conference, Lillard was asked about that very same play. The play in question was an after-timeout sideline out of bounds that saw the Greek Freak hand the ball off to Dame. Taking the ball on the left wing, Lillard hit the jumper, giving Milwaukee the lead.
However, this play meant much more to the tandem of Dame and Giannis. According to Lillard, it is a sign that their chemistry is growing and they are slowly figuring each other out. “It’s definitely an action that we can make our own. Obviously, right now, it’s early, and like you said we’re trying to learn from each other, we’re trying to play off each other. Figure out what works for each other,” said Lillard.
It certainly was an incredible game. Even the Knicks showed some capability. But, Jalen Brunson’s 45 points just weren’t enough, especially in the face of 22 from Giannis and 30 from Dame. As for the Bucks, they are slowly but surely proving themselves to be perhaps the favorite out of the Eastern Conference for the 2023-2024 NBA Championship.
Damian Lillard hit the jumper off a play that wasn’t designed to go that way
The go-ahead three from Damian Lillard is undoubtedly his best highlight in a Milwaukee Bucks jersey so far. However, it wasn’t meant to play out that way. In fact, Dame concocted that maneuver on the spot after seeing that he was in a tough position.
Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin confirmed the same in the post-match conference. He pointed out that Lillard realized he was top-locked and decided to change the cut. With a high basketball IQ of his own, Giannis Antetokounmpo realized what was going on and quickly handed it off to him for the three.
An incredible sequence that showcases just what is in store for teams when they face off against the Bucks duo. That being said, they did look a little rusty at times. They missed out on several easy pick-and-roll opportunities, a clear indicator that their chemistry isn’t exactly 100% yet. Then again, it has only been five games.
Either way, they looked good out there on the floor together. Offensively they were on point, and the same goes for defense. Dame even acknowledged the stellar job Brook Lopez did dropping back for coverage. No matter how you look at it, the Bucks are shaping up to be a real threat. One that can get it done on both ends of the court.
