Giannis Antetokounmpo fires NBA warning with Damian Lillard pledge
Giannis Antetokounmpo insisted he will do whatever it takes to work effectively alongside Damian Lillard in order to deliver the Milwaukee Bucks another NBA championship.
Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the NBA and many consider the forward to be the most dominant offensive power in the league while also an elite defender. The Greek star is a two-time MVP and he became the third player in league history to win both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Awards in the same season before winning the championship in 2021.
Last season, the Bucks topped the Eastern Conference only to lose in the first round of the playoffs to the Miami Heat, who would go on to fall to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. Antetokounmpo could do little as he struggled with a knee injury, undergoing surgery after the exit.
Throughout the offseason, Antetokounmpo suggested he needed the Bucks to show their commitment to winning another championship as he pondered his long-term future. Meanwhile, Lillard requested a trade to a contender after struggling to make waves deep in the postseason with the Portland Trail Blazers.
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The Bucks completed a blockbuster move for Lillard, and Antetokounmpo declared there is no debate over which star will have the ball in his hands more. The Greek forward has no problem deferring to his seven-time All-Star teammate.
“This is in no shape or form any competition with me and him, who’s going to have the ball more,” Antetokounmpo said. “He will have the ball more.
“And I trust, I believe he’s going to find me. And not just me, he’s going to find our teammates and put us in the right positions.”
Antetkounmpo is hoping Lillard doesn’t have to alter his game with the Bucks, added: “We’re going to let Dame be Dame. At the end of the day, if that means we have to play more defence, get more rebounds, I have to set 50 screens for Dame to get an open shot, he knows, I know and I think the team knows I’m going to set those 50 screens.”
Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo will dominate the NBA should their styles mesh effectively (AP)The pair impressed as they hit the court for the first time in preseason action against the Los Angeles Lakers, with the Bucks securing a 108-97 victory. Antetokounmpo and Lillard form one of the most dominant tandems in the NBA, but it is up to them to deliver alongside Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and the rest in the 2023-24 season.
The Bucks paid an expensive price to secure Lillard; part of the package included two-time All-Star Jrue Holiday, while Milwaukee does not have control over any of its first-round draft picks until 2031. But it now has two of the great modern weapons on the same team - and both Lillard and Antetokounmpo boast very different skill sets.
“Which one are you going to do?” Lillard said. “Are you going to clog up the paint? Or are you going to allow me to make nine 3’s?
“I’m not looking at it as much like he’s going to have the ball or I’m going to have the ball. It’s how can we come together and be able to make it work for both of us. Because if we want to win big, then it has to work for both of us to do what we do.”
The Bucks face the Philadelphia 76ers to open the new season on Thursday 26 October.
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