Damian Lillard was sublime in the Milwaukee Bucks’ shorthanded win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton sidelined, Lillard put the Bucks on his back and delivered an NBA Cup Group Play victory that pushed Milwaukee to 3-0 in the tournament.
It wasn’t just a win—it was a statement.
The Bucks have spent much of this young season navigating absences, with Middleton yet to make his debut and Antetokounmpo taking a breather for this one. Tuesday’s game had the makings of another “almost” effort. But Lillard wasn’t interested in excuses.
Instead, he turned in one of his best performances since donning a Bucks jersey, a reminder of why Milwaukee pushed all their chips to the center of the table to get him.
Ironically, the Heat played an indirect role in the Bucks’ overhaul the last two seasons. Their shocking upset of Milwaukee in the first round of the 2023 playoffs set off a series of moves that led to Lillard’s arrival.
First came the firing of Mike Budenholzer. Then the Jrue Holiday for Lillard trade. Tuesday’s game, then, was poetic: the franchise-altering move coming full circle to help topple the team that started it all.
Lillard didn’t just contribute; he dominated. In Milwaukee’s 106-103 win, he accounted for 68 points through his scoring and assists—a season-high and the fourth-most since joining the Bucks.
It wasn’t for lack of trying on the Heat’s part. They did anything and everything they could to disrupt his flow and get the rock out of his hands. Lillard was just too hot for Miami to handle (pun emphatically intended).
We know how Lillard’s range bends defenses. His pull-up threes pull defenders far from the basket and warp the floor like few players in NBA history.
That’s how he started the night. He hit Milwaukee’s first shot of the game off an inbounds pass where he came around a Brook Lopez and Andre Jackson Jr. staggered screen on the right side of the court for a catch-and-shoot trey right in Haywood Highsmiths’ grill.
He was at it again two minutes later. With Lillard handling the rock several feet behind the arc on the right slot, Taurean Prince came off a staggered down screen from Jackson Jr. and Lopez and sprinted right toward Lillard. Instead of giving it to Prince, Lillard dropped it off to Lopez on the left slot, used Prince as a screener, and then received a toss-back before firing another quick three into the bottom of the net.
When the first half was all said and done, he drained six threes and finished with 25 points. However, it wasn’t just his scoring that had Miami out of sorts. His playmaking was also on point.
Early in the game, Miami blitzed him after a Lopez screen, sending two defenders to force the ball out of his hands. Instead of panicking, Lillard faked a pass left to manipulate the defense, then zipped the ball right to a wide-open Prince, who cashed in the three. It was a textbook example of how elite scorers create high-quality looks for their teammates.
In the second quarter, Lillard showed off his mastery of pace and timing.
After catching the pass at the top of the key, he used a subtle shot fake to throw his defender off-balance, then attacked left off a Lopez screen. After one dribble, he hesitated just enough to draw Tyler Herro into overcommitting before accelerating to the rim.
When Bam Adebayo rotated to contest, Lillard coolly dished to Prince on the wing for another triple. It was a play that showcased not just skill, but an almost savant-like understanding of space and angles.
This is exactly the kind of decision-making the Bucks envisioned when they traded for Lillard. His ability to orchestrate the offense, especially with Antetokounmpo and Middleton out, is invaluable. Once those two return, Lillard’s gravity will make life exponentially easier for them, opening up even more opportunities for Milwaukee’s offense to hum.
The Bucks, who stumbled out of the gate this season, are starting to find their footing. Wins like this—gritty and shorthanded—are the kind that build momentum and chemistry.
Lillard’s performance wasn’t just terrific; it was essential. It may have been a Tuesday night game in November, but it felt like a glimpse of what the Bucks could be when everything clicks. For now, Milwaukee will gladly take the reminder that Dame Time is alive and well.
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