Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo reignited the debate over the best duo in the NBA, making it clear that, in his opinion, he and Damian Lillard are at the top of the list. After a recent game, Giannis addressed the media, pushing back against the growing narrative that he and Lillard haven’t figured out how to play together. For him, the numbers tell the real story.
“I’ll be very honest with you—I’m probably not following the NBA as much as I should, but is there a higher-scoring duo than me and Dame in the league? So, what are we even talking about?” The two-time MVP continued, shutting down any doubts about their chemistry.
“I feel like people have created this narrative that me and Dame aren’t working together, but nobody’s doing it better than us right now. Early in the season, we played competitive games against the best teams in the NBA, and we won the NBA Cup. Since then, we’ve had ups and downs, but overall, we’ve been playing good basketball. I believe that with time, things will always improve.”
Giannis on his connection with Lillard
Antetokounmpo also spoke about his growing partnership with Lillard, emphasizing that they still have unfinished business and remain among the league’s elite. “The connection I have with Dame in year two—and the year isn’t even over yet—is better than the connection I had with Khris in year two. We play off one another, we understand that we have to lead the team, we understand that we have to close games, and we understand that we have to lean on one another.“
Damian Lillard #0 and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks wait for a teammate to shoot a free throw against the Indiana Pacers in the second half of the East semifinal game.
The Bucks’ franchise cornerstone doubled down on their potential to succeed. “I know his skill set is different from mine, but in order for us to win, we have to trust each other. And that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re leaning on one another, trusting our skill sets, trusting our teammates, and empowering them.”
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The numbers back it up
Giannis and Lillard’s production speaks for itself. Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists while shooting an impressive 60.6% from the field. Meanwhile, Lillard is putting up 25.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists, shooting 44.7% from the field and 38.0% from deep.
Despite their strong individual performances, the Bucks currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 34-25 record. They’ve shown flashes of dominance, including their NBA In-Season Tournament championship, but consistency remains an issue.
Defensively, Milwaukee has made strides, but there’s still work to do. The team ranks 10th in defensive rating, 12th in offensive rating, and 10th in net rating—improvements from last season but still not at a championship level. As the playoffs approach, the pressure is on for Antetokounmpo and Lillard to prove that they truly are the best duo in the league—not just in theory, but in results.
