Damian Lillard calls ‘Dame Time,’ helps his team win NBA All-Star Game tournament

Injury robbed Milwaukee Bucks fans of seeing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard going against each other in the NBA All-Star Game final on Sunday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco, as Antetokounmpo’s calf strain prevented him from playing for the “Global Stars” vs. Lillard’s “OGs” team.

Antetokounmpo, who has been out of action since Feb. 5 with the injury to his left calf, had to watch as Lillard’s team won the game 41-32. Lillard, who entered the weekend nursing a sore hamstring, played just 2 minutes, 42 seconds of the final after it was paused for quite some time for a broadcast break. He missed his only shot.

The league introduced a new format to the all-star contest for this year, featuring four teams playing in a mini-tournament. The games were played to 40.

The league’s 24 all-stars were “drafted” onto eight-person teams by TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith, and the fourth team was a rising stars squad comprised of first-and-second year players.

Lillard, part of O’Neal’s “OGs” helped his team advance to the final by hitting the game-winning shot – a three-pointer – to give them a 42-35 victory over the “rising stars” team managed by Candace Parker. Lillard punctuated the moment with his signature “Dame Time” wrist tap.

The Bucks point guard scored a team-high nine points in 8:31 of game play.

Antetokounmpo, the league’s leading vote-getter for the 2025 NBA all-star games, was on hand for the festivities and watched his team beat Smith’s “young stars” squad 41-32.

Along with Antetokounmpo, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Minnesota star Anthony Edwards sat out the games with injuries.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard Have Interesting Suggestions for Future All-Star Games After 2025 Edition Flopped

Feb 18, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Eastern Conference guard Damian Lillard (0) of the Milwaukee Bucks, guard Tyrese Maxey (0) of the Philadelphia 76ers, and forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Milwaukee Bucks receive the trophy following their victory against the Western Conference All-Stars in the 73rd NBA All Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The 2025 edition of the NBA All-Star Game was not well-received and many are now giving their opinions on how to fix it. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard both got an idea.

Feb 16, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Chuck’s Global Stars forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Milwaukee Bucks during player introductions before the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The league introduced a new format for the annual festivities wherein the All-Star selections were divided into three teams, around 7-8 players each, and have them play against each other together with the winners of the Rising Stars challenge.

The change did not produce its intended results, however, with players, fans, and press members calling it among the worst editions of the ASG. This time though, it is not the players who are being blamed but the format itself.

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Jaylen Williams who was part of the rising stars complained, too, about how short the game was.

 
Feb 16, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Shaq’s OGs guard Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors and forward Jayson Tatum (0) of the Boston Celtics and guard Damian Lillard (0) of the Milwaukee Bucks and forward Kevin Durant (35) of the Sacramento Kings celebrate with the trophy after defeating Chuck’s Global Stars during the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard on how to fix ASG

The Greek Freak did not participate in the court action but he was there for media hours. Lillard’s squad – Team OG – ended up as the champions.

Although they have different levels of participation in the ASG, both of them agree that something’s gotta change.

For Antetokounmpo, he only repeated what he has been thinking in the past years – Team USA vs Team World.

“I would love that. I think it’d be the most interesting & most exciting format…I think that would give me a little more extra juice,” he told reporters after the game.

Lillard wants to go back to the old format but with a little bit of twist. He wants to raise the stakes.
Feb 16, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Shaq’s OGs guard Damian Lillard (0) of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after a play against Candace’s Rising Stars during the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
“Dame Lillard wants to go back to an East-West All-Star game, says her be fine with home court in the Finals being on the line. Alternately, he says if this format stays, maybe an “all Snub” team would be better as the 4th team instead of the Rising Stars,” Lillard was quoted as saying by Rachel Nicols.