Bucks Zone

The Bucks praise Damian Lillard for carrying the team without Giannis Antetokounmpo

Damian didn’t disappoint when the Bucks needed him the most.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
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Damian Lillard knew that he had a bigger role to play when Giannis Antetokounmpo was forced to sit out due to a calf injury on Wednesday night. The seven-time All-Star did not disappoint as he powered the Milwaukee Bucks to a 128-112 win over the Toronto Raptors for just their second win on the road this season.

“The situation was right for it. With Giannis not playing, I knew I would have more responsibility, I knew I would have to be more aggressive and kind of assert myself from a playmaking and scoring standpoint,” Lillard said.

Dame did it all

Scoring and playmaking were exactly what Lillard provided in Milwaukee’s seventh win in the season. Lillard collected 37 points and dished out a season-high 13 assists, marking his first double-double as a Bucks.

The veteran shooter fell two points shy of tying his season-high 39 points which he made during the team’s 118-117 win over the Philadelphia Sixers on opening night. Lillard, who added four rebounds, went 9-for-18 from the field and converted 15 of his 16 attempts from the charity stripe.

“That’s the Dame we all know. It was great to see him in a good rhythm, comfortable out there and leading the team,” said Brook Lopez.

Balanced attack

With Lillard’s effective playmaking—accounting for more than half of the team’s 25 assists—the Bucks had five other players scoring in double figures.

Malik Beasley finished with a season-high 30 points, Bobby Portis Jr. tallied 18 points, Cameron Payne had 13, Khris Middleton scored 11, and Lopez added 10.

“He took control of the game early. He’s a master at picking his spots and navigating through screens,” Milwaukee coach Adrian Griffin said of Lillard.

The Bucks improved to 7-4, winning their second straight game after beating the Chicago Bulls, 118-109, on Monday night.

Adrian Griffin praises Malik Beasley’s strong game versus the Raptors

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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.