Sunday night’s game against the Grizzlies was a sight seen far too often. There was 10:35 left in the game, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard made a step-back jumper. The ESPN play-by-play announcers were saying that it was “Dame Time.” That this was his moment to take over, even though he was having a rough shooting game. The Bucks pushed the lead to five points with that shot.
From that point forward, the Grizzlies outscored the Bucks 34-16, and they ended up losing the game by 13 points. One of the greatest closers in the game only added one additional field goal. At this point in the season, the Bucks have proven time and time again that they can’t sustain leads in the final quarter. They can’t close out games. What makes that even more perplexing is that they made a move to specifically address this problem.
The Bucks are not a good fourth quarter team
Bringing in Damian Lillard was supposed to give Giannis Antetokounmpo the closer he’s always wanted. They were supposed to have the same dynamic as Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant had over two decades ago.
Giannis would dominate the first three quarters, and then his partner in crime would bring it home. Instead of taking a step forward in this aspect, they’ve taken two steps backward. As we currently stand, the Milwaukee Bucks are the worst fourth-quarter team in the league. They average 25.5 points per game, which is dead last.
Yes, a lot of their struggles are due to other factors that have been well-documented throughout the season. But one thing that this team has gotten a pass on is the way they perform in the clutch. According to the numbers, nobody is worse. When you have arguably the best duo in the game, this cannot happen.
This is what Damian Lillard is known for. It’s his ability to hit the most incredible shots in the biggest moments that has defined his career. His legendary game-winners against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2019 playoffs and the Houston Rockets in the 2014 playoffs are what come to mind.
It’s what convinced league voters to name him one of the top 75 players in league history during the 75th anniversary in 2022. His scoring prowess and numbers surely played a part in that. But when you can deliver consistently in pressure moments, your greatness becomes magnified. Players such as Damian Lillard, Reggie Miller and Ray Allen are classic examples of that.
This season, he has failed to live up to his lofty standards. He’s averaging 5.8 points per game in the fourth quarter and ranks 24th among the top fourth-quarters scorers this season. In previous years, he would regularly finish in the top 10. “Dame Time” is simply not the same. But that doesn’t mean that can’t change. There are adjustments that the Milwaukee Bucks can make to increase his fourth-quarter production.
One thing that was noticeable during the Bucks' fourth-quarter collapse against the Grizzlies was their lack of energy. They were tired. They had no legs to chase loose balls and to convert on shots. Fatigue is the main culprit in Lillard’s struggles. This is where he would need to make adjustments on how to manage his energy levels during the first three quarters.
This could be done by picking his spots on when he’s going to attack and when he’s going to facilitate for others. If his main focus is to be a playmaker at the start of games, then he could have enough legs to create for himself in late-game situations.
However, it shouldn’t be all on him. It’s also the coach’s job to manage his time spent on the court and to put the right personnel to allow his star players to save their energy to close out games. Doc Rivers needs to improve on the rotations he’s putting out there. He has young players, such as Tyler Smith and Chris Livingston, who are itching to play. They have shown encouraging signs of improvement, and they have brought a lot of energy in the few moments they’ve been given to shine.
Veteran players such as Damian Lillard would benefit greatly from their youthful energy, which would give him the legs to close out games the way we're used to seeing him do.
If the last few days have taught us anything, it’s that no one is safe from getting traded. It’s possible that the Milwaukee Bucks make a move to add some much-needed depth. There’s still plenty of time for another ground-breaking move, and the Bucks could be on the receiving end of it. But they shouldn’t count on the front office to magically fix their problems. There is plenty that they can do with their current roster that could put them in the best position to succeed.
The reality of the situation is that their record could look a lot better if they were simply an average fourth-quarter team. This is a fixable problem. It’s in their hands to make the necessary adjustments to improve on this aspect. You have one of the greatest clutch players of all time. It will take a group effort to make the best use of his talents. "Dame Time" needs to make a return. He just needs to turn back the clock.