Damian Lillard’s Opening Night Performance Convinces Stephen A. Smith That Milwaukee Bucks Capable of Winning the East

The Milwaukee Bucks played their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center, where they registered a dominant 15-point win. Damian Lillard put to bed last season’s scoring concerns with a 30-9-6 performance, shooting 47.4% from the field and 50% from the three-point line.

Following Dame’s scoring outburst, Stephen A. Smith seemed convinced that the Milwaukee franchise is destined to make a deep postseason run in the East.

When asked if the Eastern Conference should already start worrying about the Bucks, Stephen A. said on First Take that nothing is off-limits for this team if Lillard stays in form. The media veteran even projected a title run for the Bucks if the tandem of Giannis and Dame coordinate well.

Smith said, “If this version of Damian Lillard is going to be there throughout the season, with Giannis and us knowing what he brings to the table, Milwaukee’s in the mix to win it all.”

He reminded people that Lillard averages over 25 points per game at high efficiency shooting and is one of the greatest closers of the game. Therefore, the powerhouses in the East, like the Celtics, the Pacers, and the Knicks, shouldn’t sleep on the Bucks with Dame Dolla in form.

However, there is so much more to the Bucks. SAS outlined that Giannis Antetokounmpo also possesses the ability to dictate the outcome of any game. In fact, in the 76ers game, Giannis had 25 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists while shooting 72.7% from the field.

Winning the East is pretty much on the cards for the Bucks despite having strong competition. The only thing that they have to worry about now is staying healthy and getting the role players more involved in the game. Even though Dame and Giannis are expected to do most of the heavy lifting, Milwaukee suffered last year because their roster lacked the depth those two might leave when they’re not on the court.

If the first game was any indication of what’s to follow, the Eastern Conference is going to be really interesting.

Doc Rivers is expecting a better run this time

The Bucks were on a dominant run for the first few months of last season. By the end of December, they were 24-8 in the East. However, their campaign derailed after that due to injuries, ending with a first-round loss against the Pacers. But coach Doc Rivers is confident that his team will be able to produce better results this season, especially because they’ve had enough time to build chemistry.

“The way Dame came in…in the middle of a season. Dame came in two days before camp. It just lends itself to not having great team connection…They just had no time to connect,” Rivers said during his SiriusXM NBA Radio appearance.

The coach said that this summer, all the players spent a lot of time together and have built that connection which was missing the last time. Looking at how the tandem has already started showing results, it won’t be surprising if the Bucks dominate the league for the next few months.