It's not controversial to say that Damian Lillard's transition to the Milwaukee Bucks hasn't been the smoothest ride since the blockbuster trade to get him went down in September 2023.
Even a year later, the star guard is, at times, clearly looking to fit in alongside another superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo. While he's still working out the kinks, there's no doubt that lately, Lillard's play has been on par with what Milwaukee Bucks fans expected when the franchise traded for him.
Over his last five games, Lillard has been red-hot, averaging 26.2 points, 6.2 assists, four rebounds and two steals per game. His efficiency has been off the charts, shooting 51.2 percent from the floor, 53.1 percent from deep and 92.9 percent from the foul line. What's gotten into Lillard to bring out this type of play? One key conversation seemingly did the trick.
Damian Lillard talks about his recent surge with the Milwaukee Bucks
Following Milwaukee's commanding win over the Toronto Raptors, Lillard went into detail about his recent numbers and thanked assistant coach Vin Baker for helping him get into the proper mindset.
"Me and Vin Baker, maybe about two weeks ago, two and a half weeks ago, we had a really long phone conversation where he was just like, 'It's actually time for you to just go and be who you are. Don't worry about doing the right thing and all of that stuff. You play the right way as it is. It's time for you to just take off and go and don't worry about nothing and be Dame Lillard.'
Because of the relationship that I have with him, you know, I knew he wouldn't just be saying that to me just because, and it kind of freed me a little bit because I always want to do the right thing. I want to show that my intentions are right... but I think that conversation really did something for me. It's allowed me to just take off and go."
Lillard clearly took Baker's words to heart, as he's been incredibly aggressive lately, reflected by his uptick in production. While he's still putting up strong assist numbers, Lillard hasn't been deferring to his teammates quite as much as he did earlier this season, instead hunting for his own shots often. As one of the most lethal scorers in NBA history, the Bucks certainly won't complain when he does that.
This recent surge is showing just how lethal the duo of Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo can be when they are both firing on all cylinders. Antetokounmpo's paint dominance and recent uptick in reliability from the mid-range paired with Lillard's 3-point prowess and driving ability make this duo a difficult cover for any defense. It's exactly what Bucks fans envisioned when the trade went down.
Now, the key for Damian Lillard will be sustaining this recent play. The Milwaukee Bucks have been through their share of rough patches this season, but if they are getting this type of play from their stars, this recent 3-0 run could be a turning point. Hopefully Vin Baker stays in Damian Lillard's ear and reminds him to "be who you are."
An aggressive Damian Lillard could be the key to unlocking the Milwaukee Bucks' offense.
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