On Saturday night, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Detroit Pistons, earning a much-needed victory. The Bucks were still in shock from their humiliating 40-point loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier in the week, and a defeat by the worst-ranked Pistons in the league would have been disastrous.
Both Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo were aware of what needed to be done and ensured that Saturday night would not be marred by any drama.
Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks speaks up about his partnership with Giannis Antetokounmpo
The powerhouse duo of the Bucks destroyed the Pistons together. Detroit had no response to these two generational superstars as they combined for a stunning 76 points on the evening. It’s highly likely that the Pistons would have won if not for their bravery, especially given that they shot an incredible 56.8% from beyond the arc.
Following the match, Lillard declared that he and Antetokounmpo had been in complete agreement the entire time. The manner Detroit defended them allowed the two to fully exploit the circumstances:
Lillard of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel stated of Giannis, “When he starts to be aggressive, you can hear every coach that we play against saying ‘load up!’ and ‘wall up!’ and stuff like that.” “If they continue in that manner, it will only become more lethal and difficult to handle the better me and him become at witnessing them do it, at which point he will zip it to me and I will be able to shoot and then attack off them defending him. I suppose the advantage for me was that I would search for a spot on the floor as soon as I saw him begin to attack in that manner.
Lillard’s point of view is not exclusive to the Pistons. Every night, rival teams will have to contend with this against one of the most dynamic tandems in the modern NBA.
Dame alluded to this in his last statement, and it’s evident that Antetokounmpo is also growing acclimated to playing with Giannis. Their partnership is even more dangerous because they can now read opposing defences more accurately.
Is everyone else in the NBA prepared for this?
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