There have been rumors swirling that Bucks star Damian Lillard isn’t comfortable in Milwaukee and Dame himself has addressed them head on.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith made the bold call earlier in the week that if the Bucks don’t win a chip then the franchise ought to take into consideration buying and selling him as a result of he’s “not happy” and “miserable”.
“I saw somebody say ‘Dame is not happy in Milwaukee’ or something like that,” Lillard told reporters on Friday. “I do know the reality.
“I really like the state of affairs that I’m in. I additionally know what I’ve happening exterior of basketball happening that sort of drains me at occasions. People are going to make feedback. People are going to say issues.
“And if it doesn’t go the way they said it was going to go, nobody is ever (going to) come to them and say ‘All right, you said this. Now what do you have to say about it?’ They are never held accountable for what they say publicly.”
Lillard has admitted that he’s been battling some private stuff, together with transferring away from his residence and three youngsters in Portland and getting a divorce from his spouse – who he was with for over a decade.
But Dame hasn’t let it present on the court docket, since he averaged 24.3 factors, 4.4 rebounds, and 7 assists per gameon 42.4 % from the sector and 35.4 % from the three.
His common season averages are barely decrease than they have been in Portland final season, however he was a one-man band over there, so it was simpler to fill the stat sheet.
Now, Lillard shares the court docket with one other celebrity in Giannis Antetokounmpo and All-Star veterans like Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez.
Because of the expertise on the Bucks’ squad, there’s a lot of stress on them to carry out effectively in the postseason.
Despite the stress, Lillard mentioned he enjoys these expectations.
“One thing that I’ve been thinking about all week is I’ve gone my whole career wanting the opportunity to win,” Lillard mentioned. “And I at all times thought I had an opportunity to win.
“But being in this situation. I keep taking myself back to how I felt when I got traded here, realizing the opportunity I got in front of me.”
