Giannis-Dame duo puts Bucks atop East favorites

MILWAUKEE—Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, two of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) top scorers, have united into a dynamic duo that make the Milwaukee Bucks a formidable threat for the 2024 NBA title.

The Bucks obtained seven-time All-Star guard Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers last month and united him with seven-time All-Star center Antetokounmpo to create a powerful inside-outside combination along the lines of legends Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. “Having a guy like Dame on the team, it’s unbelievable,” Antetokounmpo said. “Plays at a high level, built from the same cloth, wants to win. He’s extremely hungry.”

Lillard sees that same hunger in his new teammates.

“I’m excited for what’s to come,” Lillard said. “They want to win equally as bad as I do. I couldn’t be more excited. I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity, to play alongside the best player in the league. It’s going to be fun.”

Lillard, 33, never reached the NBA Finals in 11 seasons at Portland and wanted out to make that breakthrough.

“We’ve got to focus on the goal to win the championship,” Antetokounmpo said. “Dame wants this. He’s hungry to win, and he’s going to push us. I’m very happy to have him on our team.”

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee to the 2021 NBA title, delivering the Bucks’ first crown in 50 years.

But Milwaukee was ousted by Boston in the second round in 2022 and last year—after 58 wins to become the Eastern Conference top seed—crashed out to Miami in the first round.

That sparked a revamp that included firing Mike Budenholzer as coach, replacing him with Toronto assistant Adrian Griffin.

The Bucks re-signed forward Khris Middleton and center Brook Lopez, seen as a signal to Antetokounmpo the team was serious about staying a title contender.

Milwaukee erased any doubt on Sept. 27 by landing Lillard in a three-team deal that saw 14-year NBA guard Jrue Holiday sent to Portland, which four days later traded him to Boston, likely the Bucks’ top rival in the East.Lillard averaged 32.2 points a game last season for Portland, third in the NBA, with Antetokounmpo fifth on 31.1 points a game while pulling down 11.8 rebounds a contest as well.

The pick and roll partnership should see outside shooting chances for Lillard and inside opportunities for the 28-year-old Greek big man if rivals tighten on Lillard defensively.

“It has been very solid,” Lillard said of his bond with the Bucks’ big man. “It has been simple. I don’t think I have, and I don’t think he has either, gone into it overly trying to piece everything together. —AFP