It's a flat-out miracle that Damian Lillard is even playing basketball for the Milwaukee Bucks right now.
Around a month ago, his NBA future was uncertain after it was revealed he was dealing with deep vein thrombosis in his calf, an issue that has shortened several careers previously. With Lillard back in the lineup after a stunning recovery, no one should have expected him to immediately be the superstar he is on his best day. Many assumed there would be rust after a month off, and they were right.
In Game 3 against the visiting Indiana Pacers, his second matchup since returning, Lillard couldn't buy a bucket for most of the night. The guard finished with just seven points on 2-of-12 shooting, sinking just one of his eight 3-point looks. Despite the poor shooting night, Lillard did make a positive impact on this game, and it surprisingly came on the defensive end.
Damian Lillard dials up defensive intensity for the Bucks
With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Gary Trent Jr. carrying the workload offensively, both scoring 37 points to become the first Milwaukee Bucks teammates to do so in the NBA Playoffs, Lillard turned his attention to the defensive side of the things. The guard tallied two steals and two blocks, making an impact by simply staying active.
Regarding the steals, Lillard tried setting the tone early on by catching Myles Turner off guard and poking the ball away from behind. In the fourth quarter, he jumped in the passing lane of a dish by Aaron Nesmith and intercepted the ball. Neither play resulted in buckets for the Milwaukee Bucks, though Lillard's activity undoubtedly helped give this team some life.
If the steals got the crowd going, the blocks certainly did as well. With Lillard being the only thing in the way of 6-foot-8 Pascal Siakam and the rim, the 6-foot-3 guard fearlessly jumped and met his far bigger counterpart at the summit, sending the shot out of bounds. With the Pacers trying to mount a fourth-quarter comeback, Lillard emphatically swatted a T.J. McConnell layup attempt.
Lillard seemed to have a bit more juice defensively in this one, which may have partially stemmed from his new backcourt mate, Gary Trent Jr., who tallied four steals himself and brought plenty of intensity on the defensive end. When these two are picking up steals and getting blocks, they can be a thorn in the side of opposing ball-handlers everywhere.
If Damian Lillard can keep up this intensity defensively while also finding his stride offensively, it would go a long way for the Milwaukee Bucks, especially after picking up a needed win in Game 3.