“It Was More Simple”: Damian Lillard Claims Pairing with Former All-Star Was ‘Easier’ than Giannis Antetokounmpo

Damian Lillard‘s move to the Milwaukee Bucks in the offseason created sky-high expectations this season. Given Lillard’s efficiency for the Portland Trail Blazers in the past, Dame and Giannis Antetokounmpo were expected to become an elite pick-and-roll duo. However, things have not quite been a fairy tale in Milwaukee since the start of the season. Amid growing tensions regarding the hiring of new head coach Doc Rivers, Damian Lillard sat down for an interview with Sports Illustrated.

In the interview, Dame revealed that he found engaging in plays much simpler and easier with his former All-Star teammate in Portland, LaMarcus Aldridge. Discussing his pick-and-roll game with Aldridge, Lillard revealed that the veteran player had recognized the potential of playing off Dame by giving him more open shots. As compared to Giannis, Aldridge was less of a ballhandler.

Comparing Antetokounmpo and Aldridge’s playing styles, Lillard said, “Giannis is a ballhandler. He gets it. He’s going. He’s attacking. He’s dominant at playing in open floor and transition. With L.A. [Aldridge], it was like we played the pick-and-roll together a lot because he saw that, ‘O.K., he’s quick. He can get to the rim. He can make threes. He’s going to draw some attention in the pick-and-roll, and I’m going to get shots out of this.’ And when I post up, his man is going to play and give space because he can shoot. So L.A. being a vet and an All-Star when I got there, he kind of played off of me.”

The veteran All-Star would try finding players who could either get to the rim or make threes of his plays. He would often also try setting wedge screens for Lillard when he needed a break, with this becoming the bread and butter for the Trail Blazers. Portland had adopted a distinct style of play, which helped Lillard understand his potential and learn from a veteran All-Star in the team. Speaking about this experience, Lillard told Sports Illustrated, “We just played off of each other. But I think because he wasn’t a ballhandler, it was more simple.”

Dame Dolla also pointed out that Aldridge’s shooting capabilities spaced the floor for him a lot better. On the other hand, his tandem with Giannis is still a work in progress. It will be interesting to see how Lillard’s comments fare in the Milwaukee locker room before of the postseason.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard have still not established themselves as a pick-and-roll duo in the NBA

As the pairing between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard was announced, many had expected a new pick-and-roll combination between the two players. Though there were flashes of such plays from the duo, they haven’t been able to solidify their partnership yet in the league.

Damian Lillard had clarified earlier in December 2023 that he and Giannis were actively working on improving their pick-and-roll plays with the team. Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Dame had said, “Myself and Giannis are just still trying to figure out how we can be in more actions together and take advantage of some of these defenses together. So it’s just going to take time.”

It is worth noting that Dame, currently ranked in the top 5 as a pick-and-roll ball handler, gets most of his plays with Brook Lopez, who is ranked 18th as a roll man. Giannis Antetokounmpo, on the other hand, is ranked 30th as a roll man, which might explain why Lillard and the Greek Freak need to work on their plays actively over time.