Equipped with some smooth handles and the ability to make shots from any spot on the court, 33-year-old Damian Lillard is still an entertaining player to watch. As a youngster, Lillard was a high-leaper and has caught several defenders on a poster. As he has gotten older, Dame’s frequency of dunking the ball has seen a significant dip.
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However, ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks’ season opener, Damian Lillard proved that he still has some of his bounce. As seen in the embed below, the sharpshooter shared was seen throwing down a self-lob before the contest against the Philadelphia 76ers.
For a 33-year-old, entering his 12th year in the NBA, this seems pretty impressive. Also, we’ve to keep in mind that Lillard was almost levitating and almost touched his head to the rim despite only being 6ft 2” tall.
Although Dame has become much more famous for his long-distance bombs, the guard has had several exciting dunks in the early days of his career. In fact, Lillard was even selected as a participant in the 2014 Slam Dunk Contest. Even though John Wall was the winner of the competition, the then-Blazers star’s 360 Double-Clutch Dunk was iconic.
Damian Lillard torches his opponents up from beyond the arc
Damian Lillard has seen a shift in his style of play. From being a more athletic guard back in his 20s, Dame relies much more on his shooting and playmaking abilities.
Lillard has even replaced the occasional dunking with high-arching floaters. There were several moments in the Milwaukee Bucks-Philadelphia 76ers clash where the point guard came off high double screens, which allowed him to drive to the lane. Instead of settling for the jump shot, Dame finished with a highly efficient layup.
Of course, possessing an accurate jump shot attracts defenders to the three-point line. With a simple pump fake, the seven-time All-Star can easily drive in the wide-spread paint.
Damian Lillard recorded 39 points and 8 rebounds in his first regular-season outing in Milwaukee’s colors. Once they play a few more games together, the Bucks should have some great on-court chemistry. Certainly, the Wisconsin side will turn up as one of the title contenders.
