3 Ways Bucks guard Damian Lillard can silence his doubters in 2024-25

2. Leading the Bucks to the Conference Finals at a minimum

When Giannis Antetokounmpo selected Lillard with his first pick in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, it was clear he knew of the talent the point guard possessed. Many thought Lillard may have been one of the players the Greek superstar wanted to join the Milwaukee Bucks and aid them in winning another title.

Coming into last season, the excitement to see the pick-and-roll between the two of them and what the two-man game would look like was high. In the end, it never quite came out as many had hoped, and what felt like an unguardable play was underutilized.

Giannis missed the entire first-round series with the Pacers, and Lillard played four of the six games. Assuming health is fine, the threat the partnership can bring is what could get the Bucks over the first postseason hurdle and build momentum to make a deep run.

Lillard himself has shown he can lead a playoff team deep when he took a relatively lackluster Trail Blazers team to the Conference Finals in 2019.

There is, of course, context to add, but Milwaukee hasn't been to the Conference Finals since they won the title in 2021.

In the 2021-22 season, they lost in the semifinals to the Boston Celtics in seven without Khris Middleton, then back to back first round exits to the Miami Heat and Pacers with injuries to Giannis and Lillard; it does still tarnish this era of the Bucks.

Of course, a title is the ultimate prize, and Milwaukee has won one, but when you have arguably the best player in the world, it feels like they should or could have won another and should be going further. If the roster as a whole can be healthy heading into the postseason, then the Milwaukee Bucks will be dangerous.

If he and Giannis can become one of the deadliest duos in the league, as we expected, and the Bucks can at least reach the Conference Finals again, then Damian Lillard will silence those doubters.