Behind every NBA legend who’s taken his franchise to new heights, there has been a 2nd name, aka the second-in-command, who provided a big assist in terms of the scoring effort. For every Michael Jordan, there is sometimes a Scottie Pippen. For every Stephen Curry, there has been a Klay Thompson (too soon?). Giannis Antetokounmpo has found his second-in-command in Damian Lillard.

After all, having maintained his average above 20 points since his second season, and established career-high scores that other aspiring players could only wish for, his alignment with the Greek Freak certainly makes the Bucks a team to watch out for. However, having secured such stats on the individual level, it would not be easy for anyone to relinquish control.

The Milwaukee Bucks are now 1-4 in the regular season, having lost the recent game against the Grizzlies. During the post-game Q&A in the locker room, Lillard was asked about coming back from such an abysmal win record. The 34-year-old used the opportunity to discuss how, throughout his entire career, he has considered himself to be someone who can “take over” during the game. Things, however, have taken a turn for him ever since he moved to Milwaukee back in 2023.

As a result, even though Dame feels that he could lead the team in a manner that would allow them to score more collectively, he still has to take a backseat. “I understand it is different. So I have to try to find a way to not just go back to what I’ve always done, cuz it’s probably not always necessary, or probably not necessary at all,” said Lillard.

“So, I think that’s probably the most difficult part is like when things seem like it’s getting out of control, or the going is getting tough, I’m able to put my hands on a little bit more. And I think just not really being in that role is, you know, it’s a little bit more difficult. It’s more of a process to figure out for me,” Dame concluded.

Lillard’s remarks come just as his team lost to the Grizzlies by a wide margin, 122-99. It is important to note that the Memphis side had ended their run last season as the 13th seed. Giannis carried the bulk of the scoring, scoring 37 points, while the next best scorer was Brook Lopez with his 12 points. Meanwhile, Damian Lillard stayed on the court for 33 minutes, but could only make 4 points!

For 11 years, the point guard had been leading the scoring effort for the Portland Trail Blazers. This had allowed him to not only become the point man in scoring amongst his peers but also become the Trail Blazers’ all-time leading scorer by 2022, surpassing the earlier record set by Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler. He holds the franchise’s record in points, points per game, 3-pointers made, and free throws made. His efforts played a role in the franchise reaching the Conference Finals appearance in 2019, the first time in 19 years!

The Blazers became playoff contenders during his tenure, making it to the postseason 8 times. We cannot say for certain whether Damian Lillard is now asking for himself to be promoted to the lead scoring role. However, if he is, then it is certain that Giannis would be open to consideration. After all, he was open to it about a year ago.

Giannis Antetokounmpo revealed in 2023 that he wants Damian Lillard to lead the Bucks: “This is his team”

In October 2023, both the Greek Freak and Dame sat for an interview with Bleacher Report. Giannis revealed the first things he shared with Lillard in their discussions as teammates. The hooper made it known that he’d follow whatever advice his new teammate offered him. Why? Because he believed Dame to have only the best intentions for the team. “Basically, I might be here but this is his team,” said Giannis with Lillard right beside him. “At the end of the day, for him to feel successful, (he’s) got to feel very comfortable.”

The management may have given the former Trail Blazer some freedom on how to handle things. However, it was Giannis Antetokounmpo who led the scoring effort for the Bucks the previous season, averaging 30.4 points in 73 regular season games. On the other hand, Damian Lillard averaged 24.3 points by starting in the same number of games. Therefore, if a couple of wins don’t start coming the Milwaukee Bucks’ way soon, Doc Rivers might have no choice but to make tactical changes and shake things up.