Perennial All-Star Damian Lillard insists he’s nonetheless the identical participant that carved out a Corridor of Fame profession in Portland regardless of a disappointing first season with the Bucks.
“I’m not a participant that’s breaking down,” Lillard advised Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in a subscriber-only story. “I reside a clear, good, wholesome life, so I can do it. I can do the identical (expletive) I did two, three years in the past. I can do it proper now.”
The uncertainty surrounding Lillard was the largest story of final offseason. Lillard was anticipated to be traded to his most well-liked vacation spot, Miami. As a substitute, the Path Blazers dealt him to Milwaukee.
After averaging a career-best 32.2 factors in 2022/23, his scoring output dropped to 24.3. That was to be anticipated, contemplating he was teaming up with one other celebrity in Giannis Antetokounmpo however his taking pictures share was 42.4 total and 35.4 on 3-point tries, under his profession averages.
“I believe when the commerce occurred everyone was like, effectively, Milwaukee’s gonna win it, and I believe when it didn’t at all times look the way in which they needed it to look or thought it was gonna look, and I wasn’t wanting how I appeared in Portland, it was like, oh, what’s happening with Dame? Why is Dame not doing this?” he mentioned. “However when for a higher a part of the season I used to be nonetheless averaging about 26 factors. Like, in the event you actually take into consideration that – what normal do y’all maintain me to if I’m scoring 26 factors and averaging seven assists and I’m not feeling nice? I’m going by means of a number of stuff. That’s simply the reality.”
Accidents took a toll. Throughout numerous factors of the season, he was coping with calf, ankle, groin, adductor and Achilles points. He additionally needed to cope with taking part in and residing in a brand new metropolis after the commerce lastly got here to fruition.
“There was a number of change, a number of stress, you understand?” he mentioned. “I believe now, having a chance to get myself so as and type of begin pushing ahead to subsequent season.”
The oddsmakers peg the Bucks fourth amongst Jap Convention groups, behind the defending champion Celtics, Sixers and Knicks. That’s simply high quality by Lillard as he continues to chase his first ring.
“The truth that we’re there and we’re below the radar is ideal as a result of they’re gonna suppose nothing of us after which they’re gonna be like…You gotta face the reality, ultimately. That’s how that normally works,” he mentioned.
