Bucks Zone

"I know what this guy's capable of doing" – Giannis Antetokounmpo on Damian Lillard's heroics

Giannis believes there will be more memorable moments from Dame.
Jonas Panerio|
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Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo knows what Damian Lillard is capable of, having seen his body of work from afar while the latter played for the Portland Trail Blazers. Now that the two superstars are teammates on the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis got to see up close and personal what “Dame Time” is all about.

Crunchtime connoisseur

Lillard has made a reputation for not only scoring lots of buckets but also for when he makes them - when it matters most. That was on full display on Sunday as he sank the Sacramento Kings with an incredible buzzer-beating three-pointer that gave the Bucks a 143-142 win.

After the game, Giannis shared how the team deferred to Lillard in the game’s final sequences.

“I know what this guy’s capable of doing,” Antetokounmpo shared.

“And that’s why, down the stretch, we were all looking for him. Every handoff, every pick-and-roll, was Dame initiating it because that’s what he does. Down the stretch, he excels. He thrives down the stretch, and he showed it tonight, man.”

This is what Dame was brought in to do

The Bucks’ decision-makers gave the green light to acquire the seven-time All-Star specifically for moments like this. With his clutch gene and ability to hit game-winning shots, Lillard was the missing piece the Bucks needed to further solidify their position as NBA title contenders.

Giannis believes this is just the start, saying there will be many more clutch moments to come with Lillard on the team.

“This is not gonna be the (only) time (he does) this, he’s going to hit many more shots like this. It might not be a buzzer-beater, maybe it might be we go up one or two, but that’s what he does. And we all trust him that he’s going to do that for us.”

"That's arguably the best buzzer-beater shot ever made" - Giannis in awe of Lillard’s game-winner

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Jonas Panerio
JONAS PANERIO