Is the Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo Pairing Overrated?

The Milwaukee Bucks are a historic NBA franchise. Several NBA icons like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, and Ray Allen, have donned their colors. Despite several world-class players representing the franchise, the Bucks only managed to win one NBA title before 2020. A raw prospect from Greece, however, completely transformed the Bucks’ fortunes. The “Greek Freak” led the Bucks to their first NBA title in 50 years in 2021.

Despite all of his success and accolades, however, Giannis Antentokounmpo is still hungry for more. His actions this offseason led the Bucks front office to trade for Damian Lillard, whose arrival created immense hype and fanfare. Dame’s presence not only stirred up hype but also elevated the Bucks to clear favorites for securing the NBA championship. However, things haven’t gone according to plan for the Bucks. The Giannis-Dame tandem hasn’t worked as seamlessly as previously thought. The Bucks have considerably underperformed in the initial stages of the season. This has obviously prompted inquiries into the legitimacy of the Bucks’ status as title favorites. But are we jumping to conclusions too soon?

Was trading for Lillard a mistake?

The Bucks created the biggest splash in the offseason, as they came out of nowhere and managed to swoop Dame from under the noses of their conference rivals, the Heat and Raptors. However, the Bucks underwhelming start to the 2023-24 season has led to many people calling the Giannis-Dame tandem as overrated. The duo individually have performed exceptionally, but their overall impact on the team hasn’t been positive. Giannis has averaged 30.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5 assists this season. Whereas, Lillard is averaging 25.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 7 assists per game.

While Dame’s acquisition has solved many glaring deficiencies in the Bucks roster, it also has contributed to creating new ones. The Bucks traded away key players like Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen in order to acquire Dame. However, the impact of trading away Holiday is even more significant than previously thought. Jrue was one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, and his absence has resulted in a significant downturn in the Bucks’ defensive performance. Both Jrue and Allen hounded opposing guards with their tenacious defensive plays. Without them, the Bucks are missing an elite perimeter defender.

Having said that, people shouldn’t jump to conclusions this early in the season. After all, Giannis and Dame have proven their skeptics wrong on multiple occasions. But, the early signs aren’t promising, and the Bucks must address their defensive issues promptly. Otherwise, their title rivals might leave them in the dust. The Bucks are miles of title contention. Fortunately for Bucks’ fans, the playoffs are still almost five months away, leaving plenty of time for the Bucks to figure it out.

Can the Bucks recover from this underwhelming start?

The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t looked convincing this season. They currently occupy the 2nd spot in the Eastern Conference standings, having won 15 games and losing another 7. Despite being near the top of the table, the Bucks have looked disjointed. The Bucks possess a point differential of 3.4, ranking them as the 10th best in the league. Despite trailing behind their title rivals such as the Celtics, Clippers, and Nuggets in performance metrics, the Bucks’ potential is intriguing. Even with their lackluster start, one can’t help but wonder about their capabilities if they manage to address their issues.

Lillard’s abilities perfectly complement Giannis’ style of playing. Prior to this season, the Bucks severely lacked a good three-point shooter. This led to opposing teams clogging the paint, which created significant difficulties for Giannis. But with Dame’s shooting, opposing teams cannot afford to back-off, otherwise, Dame would punish them with his incredible shooting. Lillard’s addition has turned Milwaukee’s stagnant offense into one of the most dynamic offenses in the league. However, the problem lies in defense. Dame isn’t a very good defender and his defensive inadequacies have led to many teams out-scoring them. But, the Bucks possess two of the league’s standout defenders in Giannis and Brook Lopez. It is only a matter of time before the Bucks rectify their defensive struggles.

The Bucks early season defensive struggles

While the Bucks have an elite offense, their defense is a completely different story. Coming into the season, the Bucks weren’t expected to be such a poor defensive outfit. After all, they possess defensive stalwarts like Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, the absence of Jrue Holiday has hit them hard. Lillard doesn’t provide the same defensive output as Holiday did, which has led to the Bucks being the worst defensive outfits in the NBA.

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The Bucks have a defensive rating of 116.4, which is the 8th worst in the league. Simply put, the Bucks cannot win a title with a defense performing at such a dismal level. A strong defensive foundation has been one of the hallmarks of the Giannis-led Bucks. They must swiftly rediscover that prowess if they aspire to contend for the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy.

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