Last season, when Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton were on the court together, the Bucks had a +17.5 net rating — they were elite on both ends of the court and could compete with anybody. The challenge was that it never looked smooth, and due to injuries they only played in 42 games together and zero in the playoffs.
Lillard’s numbers dropped last season, his raw scoring numbers were expected to playing next to Antetokounmpo, but his efficiency did as well, with his 3-point shooting percentage dropping to 35.4% and his true shooting percentage to .590 (above league average but not elite). Lillard owned up to how tough that first year was in an appearance on the Clup 520 Podcast with Jeff Teague.
“It was a harder transition than I thought for real like just like I said because of my life [moving cities, going through a divorce] but then also like adjusting to playing with another great player [Antetokounmpo] and then also playing with Khris. Khris is a great player too but he plays a certain way too, so I’m having to get used to playing with two players and I don’t want to stop them from doing what they do, but I got to find how to be the best version of me within this too, so it was just a lot it, was a lot of moving parts, it was more difficult than I thought it would would be.”
Throw in a rookie coach to start the season and then a mid-season coaching change to Doc Rivers, and the Bucks never really hit their stride last season.
The question is: Can they find that groove this season? The Bucks are better set up for success, with everyone healthy and Rivers there from training camp on, but in an East with the Celtics, Knicks and 76ers, getting back to the NBA Finals will be a hard climb. Milwaukee doesn’t have much room for error, which will be the challenge — can Lillard, Middleton and Brook Lopez stay healthy? Not to mention Antetokounmpo, who has been injured in the past two playoffs? Is there enough depth behind that group to get through the marathon of the regular season?
The Bucks are going to be good this season, and we hope Lillard will be more comfortable. Will that be enough?
