Without the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard knew he had to step up to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to victory over the Kevin Durant-led Phoenix Suns. And step up, he did.
Not only did Lillard propel the Bucks to the win, but he also made history in the process.
Damian Lillard Powers Milwaukee Bucks, But He Got Some Help
Lillard was sensational for Milwaukee on Sunday, finishing with 31 points on top of five rebounds, 16 assists and one steal. Dame Time went 10-of-19 from the field, including going 4-of-8 from deep as the Suns struggled to find a way to contain him.
However, Lillard wasn’t alone even with Antetokounmpo a late scratch in the game due to a hamstring issue. Bobby Portis had a monster performance as well with a double-double of 31 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with two assists and three steals.
Khris Middleton chipped in 22, while the rest of Milwaukee’s starters–Jae Crowder, Malik Beasley and Brook Lopez–all scored in double digits and combined for 45 points to help the team take the 141-129 victory.
While the Suns were able to score 129 points, the Bucks did a great job limiting Durant in the contest. The superstar scorer made just 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting. Bradley Beal (28 points), Grayson Allen (25) and Devin Booker (23) all had 20-plus points each, but their efforts were not enough against the Bucks’ more balanced offense.
Damian Lillard Makes History With Milwaukee Bucks
With his performance, Damian Lillard secured a record that has never been seen before in Milwaukee Bucks history. According to the team, Dame is the first Buck ever to have 30-point and 15-assist game.
Yes, that’s right, not even Giannis Antetokounmpo and several other Milwaukee legends were able to achieve the feat.
It is important to remember that Lillard is only in his first year with the Bucks, but he is already setting records in every game he plays.
The Bucks will definitely need Lillard to be at his best if they want to compete for a title in a year that some see as a championship-or-bust season for them. With the way Dame is playing, though, fans can be confident with the team’s title chances.
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