Damian Lillard recently revealed that he recruited Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Portland Trail Blazers several times and Antetokounmpo recruited him to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The two superstars finally got on the same team this year after the Blazers traded Lillard to the Bucks in a blockbuster deal.
Lillard requested a trade from the Blazers to the Miami Heat this past offseason. However, Portland didn’t want to trade Lillard to Miami and sent the point guard to Milwaukee instead.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
The Bucks are 8-2 when Antetokounmpo and Lillard are both in the lineup. Antetokounmpo, who signed an extension with Milwaukee after the Lillard trade, is averaging 29.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists on the season. Meanwhile, Lillard is averaging 24.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists.
“It’s just good balance,” Lillard said. “You got a guy as dominant as he is, you gotta let him be dominant. What I’ve tried to do is find my way of just making sure I’m being aggressive so that three quarters don’t go by and I’m just kind of like stuck and I’m not in a good rhythm, I’m not into the game. And I’m starting to find that.
“But I think when he’s playing that way, I gotta make sure that I match him in a way that’s positive. Not his turn, my turn, but I gotta be effective while he’s doing what he’s doing. Whether that’s my spacing or when they go double him and they throw it to me and I’m open, I gotta take and make those shots. So it’s a pick your poison type of situation where we can play off of each other.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to the 2021 title over the Phoenix Suns. Lillard has never made it to the NBA Finals, but he’s finally on a championship contender.
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