It is a do or die year for the Milwaukee Bucks. Last season, after pressure from Giannis Antetokounmpo, they took the plunge on a Damian Lillard deal. Unfortunately, it didn’t go exactly as planned. While many were expecting a return to the NBA Finals or possibly a second championship, they didn’t make it past the first round.
A large portion of that came down to Giannis and his injury. Despite another MVP caliber season, his campaign was off the tracks when the playoffs came around. As a result, the Bucks were missing their best player and the result was a foregone conclusion.
However, that didn’t stop fingers from pointing towards Damian Lillard as well. Despite missing his co-star, this was still a Top-75 player of all-time. Moreover, his explosiveness is why Milwaukee was willing to pay a hefty ransom for him. Unfortunately, Dame didn’t have the best year imaginable in the Midwest.
Even though the 24.3 points and 7.0 assists were right in line with his career numbers, peak Lillard was a different beast. A near-30 ppg scorer, he wasn’t at the same height for the Bucks. At 34, questions about a potential decline then became legitimate.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
Going into next year, his status and production remain an underrated storyline in the Eastern Conference. And it may end up deciding the fate of Milwaukee and the Greek Freak as well. But, if the superstar himself is to be believed, there is nothing to worry or watch out for.
Damian Lillard believes he isn’t done yet
At his peak, Damian Lillard was a top-10 offense unto himself. With nearly limitless range and the confidence to boot, he was a genuine nightmare to cover. A famous image of Austin Rivers thanking God after a miss from Dame spells his impact better than direct statistics ever could.
This season did not turn out that way. His scoring was the lowest it has been since 2015, nearly a decade ago. Similarly, his shooting also took a major dip, finishing with 42% and 35% from the field and long-distance respectively.
For many, the issue was an adjustment to a new system. Many pointed to the Bucks being Dame’s first experience alongside a legitimate MVP-candidate. But for most, the issue was increasing age. Typically, players start to regress by their age 33 season and Dame was seen as part of the norm. Then an eyebrow-raising interview from Doc Rivers put those doubts under the spotlight.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
According to Doc, the former Portland Trailblazer hadn’t come into the season in shape. Rather than risk injury and miss out on a potential trade in the offseason, Damian put a stop to his offseason workouts last year. Perhaps a change in that regime could revitalize his career.
But as far as conversations about declining play with increasing age goes, the 8-time All-Star was quick to dismiss those ideas. “I’m not a player that’s breaking down. I live a clean, good, healthy life, so I can do it. I can do the same (expletive) I did two, three years ago. I can do it right now.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
History suggests that it’s impossible to count out Damian Lillard. In recent times, players’ longevity has seen a dramatic increase. Just last month, the trio of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James, all comfortably older than Dame himself, led the way for team USA to a Gold Medal as it’s three best players. So it wouldn’t be surprising if Lillard becomes another addition to that list. However, the last 2 healthy seasons haven’t gone ideally for the 12-year-old veteran.
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