The Milwaukee Bucks are starting to look like the powerhouse team fans expected. Following a dismal start to the NBA regular season, head coach Doc Rivers’ squad has found its rhythm. Damian Lillard, one of the team’s leaders, recently shed light on the key factor driving their turnaround.
The Bucks secured a hard-fought 125-119 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, with both Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo delivering standout performances. The win marked Milwaukee’s fourth consecutive victory this season and their sixth straight at the Fiserv Forum.
After the game, Lillard reflected on how far the team has come since their rough start. “The way we started the season was rough,” Lillard admitted. “But we’re starting to play the type of basketball we wanted to play coming into the season, and now we’re starting to feel good about ourselves.”
He added: “I think on offense and defense, we’re starting to do what the coaches want us to do, and we’re getting the results that we want.” Lillard also credited the team’s improved chemistry, which has even extended to their group chat. “Our group chat has been extremely active just trying to encourage each other. I think it’s coming together on the court,” Lillard noted.
Damian Lillard #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks is defended by Bennedict Mathurin #00 of the Indiana Pacers during the second half of a game in the NBA Emirates Cup at Fiserv Forum. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Giannis Antetokounmpo reflects on the Bucks’ improved play
Giannis Antetokounmpo also weighed in on the Bucks’ change of mindset, pointing out how the team has moved past their early-season struggles. “I feel like going into the season, it was sloppy in the beginning,” Antetokounmpo said. “I don’t know if our confidence, if everybody’s was high — we were losing games. It’s OK. We have to figure things out, and I think now as a team we’ve figured things out.”
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He stressed the importance of maintaining their momentum: “Right now we are clicking, and we just gotta stay here. That doesn’t mean we’re going to win every game, but we gotta stay here. We gotta stay here as a team and keep on competing,” Antetokounmpo concluded.
Lillard praises LaMelo Ball’s standout performance
Despite the loss, Hornets guard LaMelo Ball turned heads with a historic performance, becoming the third-youngest player in NBA history to record 50 points and 11 assists in a game. After the matchup, Damian Lillard didn’t shy away from offering high praise for the rising star.
“He just plays free. He’s got the ultra green light — he can take any shot, he can do anything at any time, and that’s a tough thing to handle when somebody has that type of freedom,” Lillard said of Ball’s performance.
“I think he shot 38 times,” Lillard continued. “When you have that type of freedom and you can do anything, eventually you’re gonna start feeling good. You’re gonna see a couple go in. And he has an ability to shoot from deep, and he started to see the ball go in. At that point, anything can happen.”
