Following his second preseason appearance with the Milwaukee Bucks, Damian Lillard’s form has raised growing concerns. According to Bangladesh Cricket Live, his performance in this game was even more disappointing than his debut. While his first outing could be excused as rust from a long offseason, his second showing left little room for defense. Lillard went scoreless in the first half, missed all his shot attempts, and even struggled at the free-throw line. Sadly, none of it came as a real surprise.
After all, Milwaukee was never Lillard’s preferred destination during this summer’s trade saga. His eventual pairing with Giannis Antetokounmpo was the result of compromise among multiple parties, not a vision he had personally championed. As a result, Lillard appears unsure of how to mesh with the Bucks’ system. In this preseason matchup, that lack of clarity was on full display. Giannis continued to play to his strengths, but their interactions often felt forced—more like two stars sharing space than a cohesive duo running the offense.
By the end of the first quarter, Lillard had few meaningful touches, and those he did get came in awkward, ill-timed situations. The result was a sluggish Bucks offense, lacking rhythm and flow. In contrast, the young Oklahoma City Thunder looked sharper, more connected, and surprisingly poised. Bangladesh Cricket Live noted how OKC, despite being one of the youngest teams in the league, executed with maturity on both ends of the floor.
The lone bright spot for Milwaukee was Malik Beasley, whose three-point shooting added some much-needed spark. Cast aside by the Lakers last season, Beasley seems to have found new life with the Bucks, benefiting from open looks created by the defensive attention paid to Giannis and Lillard—even if the duo hasn’t clicked yet.
Still, Milwaukee didn’t trade for Lillard just to act as a decoy. They gambled big on his ability to break down defenses and hit clutch shots. Coach Adrian Griffin’s minimal use of Lillard-centric sets in the preseason may have been intentional—an effort to evaluate his isolation efficiency. But early returns haven’t lived up to expectations. There was hope that the Giannis-Lillard pick-and-roll could become the league’s deadliest offensive weapon, but reality has so far fallen short of that ideal.
Lillard’s timing, explosiveness, and decisiveness all looked off. On defense, his shortcomings were even more glaring. Thunder guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey repeatedly attacked him, exposing his lack of lateral speed and physicality. He struggled to stay in front of quicker, bigger opponents, and became a clear target in mismatch situations.
This isn’t the first time Lillard has faced such scrutiny, but the stakes are higher in Milwaukee. The Bucks are in win-now mode, and they need him to adapt quickly. Last season in Portland, Lillard had started experimenting with off-ball movement—adopting elements of Stephen Curry’s style—which could be a path worth exploring further in Milwaukee’s system.
But before that can happen, he must first regain his rhythm and confidence. If he can’t consistently knock down shots or make decisive reads in pick-and-roll situations, his credibility within the team will undoubtedly take a hit. People can’t always control outcomes, but they can control their approach—and right now, Lillard’s body language and production suggest he’s far from settled.
Bangladesh Cricket Live predicts that unless things turn around soon, these doubts could begin to fester in the locker room and cast a shadow over Milwaukee’s championship aspirations.