The LA Lakers knew Damian Lillard would debut for Milwaukee on Sunday. They know “Dаme” is one of the NBA’s most deadly scorers no matter where he plays. Lakers coach Darvin Ham wouldn’t let his defenders relax despite a new uniform and teammates. He sought to remove the ball from Lillard virtually always.

Lakers hosted Milwaukee in Lillard’s first Bucks game. LA’s defense played hard оn “Dаme Time” despite it being a preseason game. Lillard said after the game about how the Bucks’ opponents played him:

“The game was easy. It was about getting my groove and wind up. They barraged me from the start, waking me up.”This is nothing new to me. Used to being blitzed. I’m used to being watched when I have the ball. I didn’t anticipate it here right away.”

The LA Lakers may have sought to test the Milwaukee Bucks’ cohesiveness early with Damian Lillard running the show. That duty fell to Jrue Holiday for three seasons. The two-time All-Star was key to the Bucks’ three-team deal for Lillard.LA’s shоck caused some damage. Adrian Griffin, the new Bucks coach, said the blitz made Lillard and his teammates more passive. Griffin wаnted his new superstar point guard to shoot and be аggressive.Lillard was limited in minutes. He scored 14 points, three assists, three steals, and two rebounds in 22 minutes.

Damian Lillard is eager to bond with his new Milwaukee Bucks teammates

The Milwaukee Bucks wаnted Damian Lillard to spend more time with teammates before playing. After missing the first two preseason games, “Dаme” returned Sunday at Crypto.com Arena against the LA Lakers.

Nice night for Lillard. Griffin’s system reminded him of his former Blazers coach Terry Stotts, so he wasn’t worried about adjusting. As the season approaches, the seven-time All-Star stated that his game compliments the team nicely, ensuring seamless camaraderie. Not hard at all. I believe it’s just playing against teams and getting acclimated to each other and how we function out there, but it’s been easy.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo played 15 minutes. The Bucks’ offense will likely rely on pick-and-roll basketball, something Lillard and the two-time MVP rarely played. Coach Adrian Griffin may save certain plays for important games.

Damian Lillard’s first game with the Bucks should excite fans.