If Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard get more reps together and show off more of the options created by their pick-and-roll chemistry, defenses will be forced to leave in fear of what the Bucks can do as a team. And that will sow doubt into opposing defenses. “It’ll soften them up,” Damian Lillard said. “It always does. It’s not like you’re throwing to a decent player in the middle. Like the moment (Giannis) decides, ‘All right, I hit him a couple of times, got a couple of makes,’ even when they thinking about it, in that split second of them pausing or freezing or whatever, that’s enough. So, you gotta be willing to play that mind game with them and just soften them up just that little bit. “Like, for me, the moment I come off and the big has some hesitation to be at the level of the screen, the ball is gone. It’s going to be in the air. It’s when they get up there early and I can’t even get off the screen and get into a shot, but the moment that they’re not at the level, it’s gone. So, it doesn’t have to be like, ‘Oh we’re just getting back to our man.’ It’s like that split second. A little bit. And like, right now I’m not even making my three. Like, bro, the scariest thing is that we’re (15-6) right now, and we’re trying to figure it all out. And I haven’t even gotten started, bro. I promise you.” -via The Athletic / December 7, 2023
