The highly anticipated preseason debut of the Milwaukee Bucks’ powerhouse duo, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, culminated in a 108-97 victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles.
Giannis made an impact with an impressive 16 points and 8 rebounds in just 5 minutes, while Lillard contributed significantly with 14 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals during his 22-minute performance.
Post-game, Antetokounmpo spoke glowingly of his fellow teammate, likening him to a kindred spirit on the court.
“It’s a great guy,” Giannis said. “Works extremely hard, works on his craft, wants to win, extremely hungry, does what it takes to win. I’m happy that it’s a guy that I lace up my shoe and I go and play with.”
Giannis drew parallels between himself and Lillard, noting their shared demeanor and work ethic. “But at the end of the day, he’s so quiet, doesn’t say much because I feel like it’s a little version of me, a guard version,” he observed.
“Just quiet, goes about his business, takes care of his family, shows up, practices really hard, helps his teammate, when he needs to be vocal, he’s vocal. When he doesn’t want to be vocal, he doesn’t say much.”
Emphasizing their mutual commitment to the game, Giannis highlighted Lillard’s ability to lead by example both on and off the court.
“And when the game starts, he’s just a killer,” the Greek Freak continued. “I’m happy that I’m able to have that guy on my side. I learn so much from him.
“He knows how to play this game, he puts himself in position to be successful, he helps us and puts me in position to be successful. He talks to me which I appreciate a lot. I always love to have that voice, somebody that can kind of tell where to go and how to be effective and how can I help him and the team.”
Looking ahead, Giannis emphasized the importance of building upon their preseason success, highlighting the upcoming regular season and playoff challenges.
“So far it’s been good. But we have a long way to go. It’s just the preseason. We have regular season, we have playoffs. Hopefully, we can have some luck on our side, stay healthy, keep on building good habits and when it matters the most – be ready,” Antetokounmpo concluded.
