The key Giannis-Dame Lillard stat that determines Bucks' success
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Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard almost never struggle to score. But Milwaukee Bucks’ coach Doc Rivers looks at a different stat from the two superstars that often separates the team’s wins and losses.
“When (Giannis) and Dame are high in assists, I mean 20 between them, we’re so much better when that happens,” Rivers said after Tuesday’s 130-115 win over the Sacramento Kings. “This is an easier way to play basketball.”
On Sunday, the team suffered its most lopsided loss of the season, falling 140-106 to the New York Knicks. Antetokounmpo and Lillard combined for just seven dimes. Two days later, it was a very different story, as the Bucks stopped the Kings’ seven-game winning streak in a wire-to-wire win.
Antetokounmpo had 13 assists Tuesday as part of his 50th career triple-double, and Lillard dished seven dimes. Their combined 20 assists were just two short of the team’s total of 22 against the Knicks.
“When he’s firing the ball around, and it’s popping, you know, building off of him, then we’re hitting threes, getting layups,” Brook Lopez said about Giannis. “It’s so pretty to watch and tough to stop.”
The offense hummed from the tip on Tuesday. Taurean Prince hit Antetokounmpo for two easy buckets early. Lillard connected on consecutive 3s and hit Andre Jackson for a baseline layup. The onslaught was on. The Bucks erupted for 47 points in the first quarter, their biggest scoring quarter of the year. Antetokounmpo and Lillard combined for six assists in the quarter, nearly matching their full-game total in Sunday’s loss to the Knicks.
To close the quarter, sharpshooter A.J. Green screened for Antetokounmpo on the left elbow. Antetokounmpo drove toward the basket, drawing his defender and Green’s before passing straight back to Green, who had popped beyond the arc on the right wing. Swish. When locked in, the team can space the floor with dribble drives by their superstars, who read the defense and drive to the hoop or spray to an array of shooters behind the arc.
Antetokounmpo spread his 13 assists to six different players. Lillard also sprinkled generously, with five players receiving his seven helpers.
The Bucks followed up Tuesday’s win with another easy home win Wednesday, downing the Orlando Magic 122-93. In a season defined by inconsistency, the Bucks find themselves on a 5-1 stretch, at nearly full strength in a season where that’s rarely been the case, with home games up next against the Raptors on Friday and 76ers on Sunday.
“I think the way we’ve been playing, we’re trending in the direction that we want to be in,” Lillard said after Wednesday’s game. He pointed to the pair of convincing wins on back-to-back January nights as the team finding “the best version of ourselves.”
The post The key Giannis-Dame Lillard stat that determines Bucks’ success appeared first on ClutchPoints.
