MILWAUKEE (AP) — Damian Lillard understands he has a reputation for being an elite offensive player but not a particularly strong defender.
Now that he’s on a new team, the seven-time all-NBA selection looks forward to changing that perception.
Lillard began training camp with Milwaukee on Tuesday, a week after the Bucks acquired him from the Portland Trail Blazers to team up with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. One of the players the Bucks gave up was Jrue Holiday, a five-time All-Defensive Team selection who landed with the Boston Celtics in a separate trade.
Lillard acknowledges he isn’t as good a defender as the guy he’s replacing.
“I’m not going to come in here and be Jrue Holiday,” Lillard said Monday during the Bucks’ media day. “My personal opinion, I think he’s the best defender on the perimeter.”
But Lillard believes he can help the Bucks continue to play solid defense.
“At the very least, on that end of the floor, I’m going to compete,” he said.
“The people that I play against will tell you, I ain’t a pushover, you know what I’m saying?” Lillard continued. “I’ve also had a lot of responsibility on the offensive end for my entire career. I think playing with the kind of players I’ll be playing with here, it will also give me an opportunity to show myself much better on the defensive end of the floor.”
The Bucks believe Lillard’s extraordinary skills on offense will make up for whatever they might sacrifice on defense.
Lillard ranks 11th in NBA history in career scoring average (25.2 points per game) and sixth in 3-pointers (2,387). Although he played just 29 games due to an abdominal injury in 2021-22 and was limited to 58 games by a calf strain last season, Lillard has continued to perform at an all-NBA level when healthy.
The Bucks are counting on Lillard to help them bounce back from last season’s stunning first-round playoff loss to Miami and win a second title in four years.
“I’m not asking him to be anything except Damian Lillard,” new Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said. “And that’s plenty. He’s excelled in pick-and-rolls. He’s excelled at making big shots and helping his team win, and we need every bit of him. We don’t need him to be anything more or less than what he’s done the last 11 years of his career.
