Damian Lillard, the flagship rookie of the Milwaukee Bucks, made his first with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s NBA team, winning Sunday evening 108-97 during a preseason match in Los Angeles against the Lakers.
After his transfer from Portland, the duo he will form with the “Greek freak” will be one of the big attractions of the North American basketball championship season which opens at the end of the month.
And, to make fans’ mouths water a little more, the leader with seven All-Star Game selections set the tone with 14 points, three assists, three incerceptions and two rebounds in 22 minutes on the floor.
“I felt great. We are always a little rusty at the very beginning but then it was a very easy match to play,” commented the former Trail Blazers star.
“It feels good to be back on the court,” added the 33-year-old, who notably has the advantage of knowing Bucks assistant coach Terry Stotts, who was his main coach at Portland from 2012 to 2021.
“A lot of what we do here offensively is similar to what I used to do with him for nine years, so it’s honestly simple in terms of adjustment,” said Damian Lillard.
Facing the Lakers deprived of their superstar LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo was not to be outdone, with 16 points and eight rebounds in just over 15 minutes of play.
And, according to Lillard, the flow goes well between the two players who averaged more than 31 points last season.
“I think our two personalities mesh well. Our playing styles mesh well. Everything else happened naturally,” he stressed.
The new star pair of the Bucks will begin their NBA regular season on October 26 with the reception of the Philadelphia Sixers.