Bucks Suffer Another Humiliation Without Damian Lillard ? 3 Key Takeaways From Giannis Antetokounmpo?s 2nd Straight Ruined Night

The Milwaukee Bucks are not doing well without their new superstar, Damian Lillard. After going 5-1 with Dame in the line-up, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. have lost two straight games in the 7-time All-Star?s absence. They lost their second consecutive game tonight against the Orlando Magic despite The Greek Freak?s incredible performance. Giannis has played great in Lillard?s absence, scoring a whopping 54 points in the last game and 35 points in tonight?s game. But his performance has not translated into wins for the Bucks.

Here are 3 key takeaways from Giannis Antetokounmpo?s second straight ruined night without Damian Lillard.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo cannot win alone

Giannis Antetokounmpo has played great for the Milwaukee Bucks so far. While Damian Lillard has been out in the last two games due to injury, Giannis has played his best basketball of the season without his co-star. But the back-to-back losses for the Bucks have shown that Giannis Antetokounmpo cannot win games alone. Apart from Giannis, no other player on the Bucks roster has stepped up in Dame?s absence. Even in tonight?s loss against the Magic, no Bucks player other than Giannis scored more than 14 points. Khris Middleton, who was the ?Robin? to Giannis? ?Batman? before Dame?s arrival, scored only 10 points in tonight?s loss. It is still uncertain when Lillard will return from injury, and the Bucks’ supporting cast needs to step up their game if they want to succeed without Lillard. Giannis is playing at an MVP level, averaging 28.1 points and 9.4 rebounds. But without his teammates’ support, Giannis will not be able to win games in the long run.

2. Losing Jrue Holiday was more costly than the Bucks thought

The Milwaukee Bucks fanbase was elated when they acquired 7-time All-Star Damian Lillard this summer. But, the fans had to take it with a heavy heart as they had to let go of their star player, Jrue Holiday, to bring the trade to life. Holiday was the defensive anchor for the Milwaukee Bucks during his tenure, and he immensely helped Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. end their 50-year Championship drought in 2021. Jrue is thriving in his new role with the Boston Celtics, and he has helped his new team grab the second spot in the Eastern Conference standings. The Celtics have won seven of their first nine games with Holiday on their roster, while the Milwaukee Bucks have struggled this season without the veteran guard. Milwaukee?s rough start to the season has made them realize that losing Jrue Holiday in the Damian Lillard trade was more costly than they imagined.

Read More: Downplaying Historical 50-Point Masterclass, Giannis Antetokounmpo Puts Emphasis on Winning

3. Magic has got themselves a generational talent in Paolo Banchero

Not many expected the Orlando Magic to have such a fiery start to the season. The young Magic team is currently holding on to the 5th spot in the Eastern Conference standings with 5 wins and 4 losses. A big reason for their success has been the incredible performance of their star, Paolo Banchero. The 2023 Rookie of the Year is proving with each game that he is a generational talent. Banchero is averaging 18.1 points, 6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists this season. He has also been a menace on defense, with an average of 1.6 steals per game. Banchero is a 6?10 Power Forward with the skillset of a point guard. He bagged a double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds against Giannis Antetokounmpo in tonight?s match-up. The 21-year-old rising star is playing very mature for his age, and he can be the player that the Orlando Magic decides to build their franchise around. Paolo Banchero is a generational talent, and it is not long before he gets rewarded with a massive contract for his amazing performance with the Magic.

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With Damian Lillard’s return time not fixed, how do you think the Bucks will fare without him?