It was two months ago. The NBA planet shook once again with the officialization of the trade of Damian Lillard for an unexpected destination: Milwaukee!
Two months later, the leader will reunite with his former team, while the Bucks welcome the Blazers this evening (9:30 p.m. French time). A necessarily special match, even if the main party calmed things down.
Waiting to see Oregon again
For him, it will just be one more regular season game, against one of the worst teams in the league, with only 4 wins in 15 games. The situation will undoubtedly be different when you have to travel to Oregon.
“I thought I’d be more eager, but I don’t really have a reason to be all-in on it…I’ll think about it more when we go back to Portland. The fact that they’re the ones coming here, I feel like it’s just another match, where I’m going to meet people that I’ve spent a lot of time with. The team is still really different”, did he declare after the game against Detroit on Friday night.
For his part, Chauncey Billupswho coached Damian Lillard for two years, will remain on the lookout, believing that “Dame Time” will necessarily want to shine when he reunites with his former team for the first time.
“It’s just going to be nice to see him again.” Of course, it’s going to feel a little weird playing against Dame. It just feels weird to face him after coaching him for a few years. For the players too, I’m sure it will be weird, but it will be fun. I can not wait to be there “did he declare. “I’m sure he will want to play well, behave well and show himself well. I’m sure he’ll be pumped. “It’s the first time in his entire career that he’s found himself in this kind of situation.”
Suspicious, Chauncey Billups remembers
Chauncey Billups also recalled his experience, when he faced Detroit for the first time after being traded to Denver. He therefore thinks he can imagine what the Bucks leader will feel this evening, even if the emotion will undoubtedly be greater for his first trip to the Moda Center.
“It was a very emotional match. Everything is taken into account. You’re mad they traded you. You are happy to play against your old partners. You are happy to see some of your old teammates. So there are a lot of different emotions to feel. But hey, I don’t know if Lady will be angry, since he wanted to leave, and he’s very happy to be where he is.”
With the number of injuries currently affecting Portland, able-bodied players are in any case expecting a complicated match, as Jerami Grant fears.
“It should be a good match. We know the type of team they have. They have a team capable of playing for the title. So we have to be ready to play. There will definitely be a lot of emotion for the franchise, playing against Dame and everything in between. But you have to go out there and do what you have to do to try to get the victory.”
| 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 | 14 | 34 | 41.8 | 32.8 | 92.1 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 6.4 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 25.2 |
| Total | 783 | 36 | 43.9 | 37.2 | 89.6 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 25.2 | |
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.
