The Portland Trail Blazers will see a familiar face when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks, as they will face Damian Lillard for the first time this season.
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Dec 28, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) moves the ball against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Damian Lillard, who spent the first 11 seasons of his NBA career in Portland, will take on his former team for the third time as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks since being traded before the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
The Milwaukee Bucks split their previous two meetings with the Portland Trail Blazers with Lillard wearing green and white. Milwaukee won 108-102 in the first game on November 26, 2023, but Portland bounced back with a 119-116 victory on January 31, 2024.
Dec 10, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Damian Lillard scored 31 points in the first game. He had 25 points and seven assists in the second game but went 3-for-13 from three-point land.
The Milwaukee Bucks and the Portland Trail Blazers are on opposite sides in the NBA standings, with the former having a 17-15 record (good for fifth in the Eastern Conference) and the latter having an 11-22 record (good for 13th in the Western Conference).
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Why Chauncey Billups is “scared” to take on Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard
The Portland Trail Blazers will attempt to slow down Damian Lillard to give themselves the best chance of winning, but head coach Chauncey Billups knows it’s easier said than done.
Dec 3, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) controls the ball against Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) in the first quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
“He’s obviously a nightmare to prepare for. There’s so many ways that he can impact the game and hurt you. We’ll try everything, like we do with all great players. But he’ll be motivated and he’ll try to play well like he always does,” Billups said about Lillard via Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.
“(But) more than anything, it will just be fun. And there’s nothing more fun than winning. So, let’s try to win it,” he added.
Damian Lillard averages 25.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 43.4 percent shooting from the field in 25 starts this season.
