The Milwaukee Bucks are 22-1 this season in video games the place Damian Lillard shoots at the very least 50% general. In Milwaukee’s 115-108 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday evening, Lillard recorded his third straight recreation with 30 or extra factors.
The eight-time All-Star guard completed 11-of-22 (50%) taking pictures from the sphere and 5-of-11 (45.5%) from 3-point vary. Along with making all three free throws, he additionally tallied three rebounds, 12 assists, and two steals in 37 minutes of motion.
Lillard, 33, made two late steals within the Bucks’ victory. The primary of these two steals led to the profitable basket after the Nets overcame a 20-point deficit to take the lead.
The Bucks and Damian Lillard this season:
🏀 3-0 when Dame scores 40+ factors🏀 16-2 when Dame scores 30+ factors🏀 27-5 when Dame scores 25+ factors🏀 22-1 when Dame shoots 50%+ FG🏀 9-2 when Dame dishes 10+ assists pic.twitter.com/BnaK51mUya
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 22, 2024
“I feel in my profession, I haven’t been often called a defender, however down the stretch of video games, I’ve all the time been in a position to have a second or do what I wanted to do on the finish of the sport defensively,” stated Lillard, who has averaged 31 factors and 11.3 assists over his final three video games.
Lillard made a steal and located Malik Beasley open for a nook 3-pointer to make the rating 106-101 with 1:37 remaining. He secured the victory by scoring the sport’s subsequent 5 factors, together with a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left.
Milwaukee Bucks are 3-0 when Damian Lillard scores at the very least 40 factors, 16-2 when he scores 30 or extra factors
“Dame defensively was phenomenal tonight, all recreation,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers stated. “He’s a really aggressive man, and you may see that tonight.”
The win gave the Bucks their first season sweep of the Nets because the 2016-2017 season. It was additionally Milwaukee’s fifth consecutive win at dwelling, bettering to 28-6 at Fiserv Discussion board this season and 45-25 general.
“He has the ball in his fingers extra and the extra he has it, the extra assured he’s to run the workforce,” Rivers added. “I don’t assume Dame has run the workforce this yr, and now he’s working the workforce with him and Giannis [Antetokounmpo], which I feel is an effective mixture.”
WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO!? pic.twitter.com/JClOpnyN7a
— Bucks Movie Room (@BucksFilmRoom) March 21, 2024
The Bucks haven’t misplaced at dwelling since getting back from the All-Star break. Their final dwelling loss got here on Feb. 13 towards the Miami Warmth. Lillard shot simply 5-of-14 (35.7%) from the ground and 2-of-7 (28.6%) outdoors the arc.
Milwaukee’s solely loss this season when Lillard shot 50% or higher occurred at Boston on Wednesday evening. The 12-year veteran shot 11-of-21 (52.5%) from the ground and 6-of-10 (60%) from deep. Plus, he made all 4 free throws.
Moreover, the Bucks are 3-0 this season when Lillard scores at the very least 40 factors, 16-2 when he scores 30 or extra factors, 27-5 when he places up at the very least 25 factors, and 9-2 when he dishes out 10 or extra assists.
