[Saba Sports News] Immediately after the game, Antetokounmpo shared with the media that Damian Lillard was double-teamed right from the first play, which surprised him since it was just a preseason game. He humorously stated, “I’ve never seen someone double-teamed on the 1st play of the game. It was a surprise. It’s a preseason game. Not a playoff game, not a regular season game, not an in-season tournament game… It’s insane.”
Lillard made his debut in a Bucks uniform, scoring his first basket with a three-point shot in the second quarter. In his first game, he recorded 14 points, three assists, and two rebounds.
The 33-year-old Lillard had a turbulent offseason, initially requesting a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers after 11 seasons and specifically targeting a move to the Miami Heat. Eventually, he was traded to the Bucks, forming a partnership with Antetokounmpo.
Lillard expressed his enthusiasm for playing alongside Antetokounmpo and noted that they can be a winning combination. He mentioned, “He can dominate a game and win you a game… The first couple plays of the game, they trap me, and the guy that I’m releasing the ball to is Giannis. We can do this all night.”
While they still need to fine-tune their chemistry, the two superstars have two more preseason games before the Bucks’ regular season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 26.