Bucks Zone

The Milwaukee Bucks rule out Damian Lillard for home game against the Utah Jazz

Dame is having a rough start this year.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
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Damian Lillard will not be suiting up when the Milwaukee Bucks take on the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

In Milwaukee’s injury report, Lillard will be out for personal reasons. The Bucks will also be without Cameron Payne (concussion protocols) and Jae Crowder (left adductor surgery). It will be the third time this season that Lillard will be missing a game.

Not so good numbers for Dame

Dame has already played 34 games in his first season with the Bucks, averaging 25.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.1 steals in 35.4 minutes of playing time per contest.

Dame has had solid games for the Bucks, but he is off to a cold start in January. The Bucks are a dismal 1-3 so far this month, and their struggles are partly because of Lillard’s offensive woes.

For this month, Lillard is just averaging 19.8 points a game on a 34.8 percent shooting from the field. Dame is also just shooting 16.1 percent from three-point range as the Bucks already surpassed their total losses last month, where they went 11-2.

Cold streak

Lillard scored just 18 points on 5-for-16 from the field when the Bucks lost to the Houston Rockets on Saturday night, 108-112.

Dame shot just 6-of-18 from the field and scored 23 points when Milwaukee absorbed a 130-142 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

Before that 12-point loss, Milwaukee also lost to the same Indiana team, 113-122, where Lillard managed just 13 points on a dismal 3-for-16 shooting night.

In Milwaukee’s lone win so far this month, a close 125-121 triumph over the lowly San Antonio Spurs, Damian tallied 25 points on a 10-for-19 shooting from the field.

Lillard said he is still adjusting to his role with the Bucks, which explains his recent offensive struggles. 

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.