Damian Lillard says getting the win vs. the Dallas Mavericks was all that matters

"It’s not so much about the stats. It’s who can come up big in the moments that count and win the game."

© Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

There were plenty of big plays from the league’s brightest stars during Saturday night’s showdown between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Dallas Mavericks. From difficult shots to nifty passes, there were plenty of highlights to watch, but when the final buzzer sounded, it was the Bucks who emerged victorious.

One of the stars of the night was seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard, who put up 27 points in the win. Afterward, he made sure to emphasize that it wasn’t about individual accolades or stats––it was about getting a win.

“It’s not so much about the stats – it’s who can come up big in the moments that count and win the game,” Lillard said.

Big stats, no win

Lillard spent the first decade of his NBA career playing in Portland, where he was the star of the show, piled on the points, and delivered many memorable moments. However, despite his remarkable stats, the Trail Blazers were never considered legitimate contenders in the West.

“I’ve had a lot of games where I have 50 points, nine assists or whatever, and then in the end, sometimes you’re looking like, man, we didn’t win,” Lillard shared.

Defense made the difference

While there was plenty of offense on display, it was the Bucks’ defense that made the difference, forcing misses from Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Grant Williams in the last 1:26 of the game to get the victory.

“I think tonight that was what we understood. Those guys are great scorers, two of the best scorers in the history of the game, and they see the ball go in a couple times (and) at that point, there’s really nothing you can do about it,” Lillard quipped.

“So it comes down to getting the stops when you need ‘em and being able to execute offensively. I thought we got a couple stops when we needed ‘em on those guys, and we was able to execute and win the game. That was the most important thing.”

PAT, AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/YtDkDlnd1g

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 19, 2023

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