The Bucks' first season under the era Lillard-Antetokounmpo will not have had the expected result. The adaptation of Damian Lillard will have been truncated by a change of coach, Doc Rivers having replaced Adrian Griffin, and above all by an end to the year weighed down by injuries to the team's major players.
Hit in the Achilles tendon, the veteran playmaker gritted his teeth but ended up missing Games 4 and 5 of the first round of the playoffs against Indiana, who ultimately won in six games. When taking stock, the former Blazer did not hesitate to recognize that this 2024/25 season had been “the hardest” of his career, also with a divorce to manage and the distance from his children, who remained in Portland.
“I arrived a few days before the start of training camp. I didn't know how it was going to go. I was going through a divorce, being away from my three children, not having a schedule for when I was going to see them, it was a lot. Lots of things to manage at the same time, while having to remain efficient on the field. It was just complicated”he confided.
Vengeful Bucks
Enough to fuel a spirit of revenge for the entire Bucks team, and particularly for “Dame Time”, who intends to set the record straight in 2024/25 after a trying first season in Wisconsin. For him, the Bucks owe revenge on themselves first.
“Often, when people talk about a season that feels like revenge, it’s with the idea of going down the throats of all the other teams. But I think that this is revenge for me, for something that I have to go back and get. It's not against anyone. I know what I went through last season. And I know what I need to be at my best. That’s all I focus on,” he added.
The Lillard-Antetokounmpo association, with Khris Middleton, has all the assets to bring down the house. This time, Doc Rivers does not board the train on the way, Damian Lillard was also able to take the measure of his new environment, and if injuries leave the group alone, Milwaukee will then have something to aim much higher.
“Yes, I think we can,” he continued. “It’s not like we have anything special to do. We know what Giannis is dominant at, and I do too, and we put that together. We both just have to be aggressive and read the moments and situations where we can use one or the other and create an advantage. And you just have to trust that. The more time has passed, the more we have improved. This year it will be even better.”
| Damian Lillard | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2012-13 | POR | 82 | 39 | 42.9 | 36.8 | 84.4 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 6.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 19.1 |
| 2013-14 | POR | 82 | 36 | 42.4 | 39.4 | 87.1 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 20.7 |
| 2014-15 | POR | 82 | 36 | 43.4 | 34.3 | 86.4 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 21.0 |
| 2015-16 | POR | 75 | 36 | 41.9 | 37.5 | 89.2 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 25.1 |
| 2016-17 | POR | 75 | 36 | 44.4 | 37.0 | 89.5 | 0.6 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 27.0 |
| 2017-18 | POR | 73 | 37 | 43.9 | 36.1 | 91.6 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 26.9 |
| 2018-19 | POR | 80 | 36 | 44.4 | 36.9 | 91.2 | 0.9 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 25.8 |
| 2019-20 | POR | 66 | 38 | 46.3 | 40.1 | 88.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 8.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 30.0 |
| 2020-21 | POR | 67 | 36 | 45.1 | 39.1 | 92.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 28.8 |
| 2021-22 | POR | 29 | 36 | 40.2 | 32.4 | 87.8 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 24.0 |
| 2022-23 | POR | 58 | 36 | 46.3 | 37.1 | 91.4 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 7.3 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 32.2 |
| 2023-24 | MIL | 73 | 35 | 42.4 | 35.4 | 92.0 | 0.5 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 7.0 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 24.3 |
| Total | 842 | 36 | 43.8 | 37.1 | 89.7 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 25.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
