Damian Lillard struggles big time right now

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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#21 » by DC_Melo » Tue Nov 14, 2023 12:57 pm

It should also be pointed out than in addition to all the basketball related challenges of joining a new team and finding chemistry with another high usage superstar, Dame is also going through a messy divorce with his wife, who I believe he’s been with since HS IIRC. It was a shock in Portland when the split was announced this summer… as Dame and his wife had by all accounts a very close relationship.

I’ve been through a divorce. It can absolutely have an impact on your job performance (especially when adjusting to a new employer). His play hasn’t been consistently bad; it’s been inconsistently good… a sign of a man going through a tumultuous time in life.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#22 » by iLLmatic860 » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:07 pm

VaDe255 wrote:Bucks made a risky trade that seems to have back fired.

How did it backfire?
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#23 » by Crunch 99 » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:08 pm

Even when Dame gets back to high percentage shooting, Milwaukee's starting backcourt of Dame and Beasley will remain subpar defensively.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#24 » by KingDavid » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:12 pm

Dame is going through a lot. Let the season play out.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#25 » by akula1488 » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:14 pm

Morale of story? don't trade for super stars past their athletic prime unless the last name is Curry James Durant
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#26 » by BigGargamel » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:14 pm

Wayyyyyyyyyyyyy too early to overreact, but we know how basketball fans are. Even Giannis is struggling to adapt. I think they'll be fine, and at the very worst, #3 in the East.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#27 » by ChartFiction » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:17 pm

Not a fan of the Milwaukee roster in general right now, but as far as Dame's shooting he's been in 8 games

Two good shooting games and he would be at his career averages. This is pointless
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#28 » by DC_Melo » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:22 pm

akula1488 wrote:Morale of story? don't trade for super stars past their athletic prime unless the last name is Curry James Durant


If you’re finding the “morale of the story” less than 10 games into the season, I recommend you start reading books past chapter 1.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#29 » by basketballRob » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:22 pm

He reminds me of Kemba Walker at this point. I'm a bigger Jrue fan because of his grit and defense.

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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#30 » by hardenASG13 » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:23 pm

His scoring numbers were high in Portland as a second tier number one option. That's why they never won much of anything (he had plenty of help around him to do more if he were truly a superstar).
I don't think he's a superstar and don't think he ever was. Now he's 33. The Bucks are old and locked into this group for the rest of Giannis' prime. Not sure why people think they are contenders? Because they got lucky in 2021? They were a first round out last year, which I dont think was a fluke as they have lost to every legit team they have faced in the playoffs with Giannis. And I like Giannis. It just is what it is.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#31 » by basketballRob » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:25 pm

Milwaukee has been a perennial top 5 defense for years. Now they're 25th, and I don't believe it's all on Griffin. They miss Jrue's defense.

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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#32 » by Airmiess » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:28 pm

Their back court is the worst in the league right now on both ends.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#33 » by basketballRob » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:29 pm

hardenASG13 wrote:His scoring numbers were high in Portland as a second tier number one option. That's why they never won much of anything (he had plenty of help around him to do more if he were truly a superstar).
I don't think he's a superstar and don't think he ever was. Now he's 33. The Bucks are old and locked into this group for the rest of Giannis' prime. Not sure why people think they are contenders? Because they got lucky in 2021? They were a first round out last year, which I dont think was a fluke as they have lost to every legit team they have faced in the playoffs with Giannis. And I like Giannis. It just is what it is.
In the last few years, he would take intermittent rest periods to keep him fresh. The same with Beal. I don't think either player is equipped to grind for a championship. Both have made around a half billion dollars, and I can't see them diving on the floor for loose balls.

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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#34 » by pipfan » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:30 pm

He looked BAD against my Bulls last night-lucky for Milw Chicago sucks but this could be a problem if he doesn't at least play like an All Star
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#35 » by Green89 » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:33 pm

I bet it's the Stotts thing that had something to do with it, combined with he didn't want to be there in the first place, combined with him aging a bit.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#36 » by hardenASG13 » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:40 pm

Green89 wrote:I bet it's the Stotts thing that had something to do with it, combined with he didn't want to be there in the first place, combined with him aging a bit.


So when stotts left Dame decided, you know what, if he's gone I'm just not going to play good? I believe he had added Milwaukee to his trade list (if he hadn't, his whole wanting to win a title thing was complete BS, as Giannis is the best player he's ever played with, by far). The aging thing is legit, and his slowing down was masked the last couple years on Portland, where he had free reign to score with 0 expectations. Now he's got expectations for the first time, no more hiding in Portland posting phony scoring numbers.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#37 » by basketballRob » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:44 pm

hardenASG13 wrote:
Green89 wrote:I bet it's the Stotts thing that had something to do with it, combined with he didn't want to be there in the first place, combined with him aging a bit.


So when stotts left Dame decided, you know what, if he's gone I'm just not going to play good? I believe he had added Milwaukee to his trade list (if he hadn't, his whole wanting to win a title thing was complete BS, as Giannis is the best player he's ever played with, by far). The aging thing is legit, and his slowing down was masked the last couple years on Portland, where he had free reign to score with 0 expectations. Now he's got expectations for the first time, no more hiding in Portland posting phony scoring numbers.
I also think he's been given the green light to rest as much as he wanted to in Portland the last few years. If you rest for a week and then play a team that's playing their 4th game in 6 nights, you're going to look like a star against them.

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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#38 » by God Squad » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:49 pm

iLLmatic860 wrote:
VaDe255 wrote:Bucks made a risky trade that seems to have back fired.

How did it backfire?

He's a Miami fan. But agreed, nothings backfired. If by 20 games and it's the same result, then they'll probably need to fire coach Griffin.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#39 » by Ssj16 » Tue Nov 14, 2023 1:53 pm

hardenASG13 wrote:His scoring numbers were high in Portland as a second tier number one option. That's why they never won much of anything (he had plenty of help around him to do more if he were truly a superstar).
I don't think he's a superstar and don't think he ever was. Now he's 33. The Bucks are old and locked into this group for the rest of Giannis' prime. Not sure why people think they are contenders? Because they got lucky in 2021? They were a first round out last year, which I dont think was a fluke as they have lost to every legit team they have faced in the playoffs with Giannis. And I like Giannis. It just is what it is.


Definitely feel like you're discounting the talent that is the Bucks the past several years. They were pretty close to go back to the finals in 2022 and you can't talk about the 2023 playoffs without mentioning Giannis' injury in the first round. That injury doesn't happen, I doubt they lose in the first round and then who knows how far they make it in the rest of the playoffs since Philly and Boston had their flaws last year as well.
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Re: Damian Lillard struggles big time right now 

Post#40 » by GrandTheftRondo » Tue Nov 14, 2023 2:02 pm

As a Celtics fan I have a vested interest in the Bucks falling over.

But it’s called a shooting slump. Every player has them.

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