Damian Lillard’s first season with the Milwaukee Bucks definitely did not go according to plan, and it led to some questioning whether his time as a truly elite player has come to an end. Lillard hears the critics, and he is eager to prove them wrong.
Lillard defended his output in his first season with the Bucks in an interview with Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, adding that there is no reason for him to think his best days are behind him.
“I’m not a player that’s breaking down,” Lillard said, via Dana Gauruder of Hoops Rumors. “I live a clean, good, healthy life, so I can do it. I can do the same s–t I did two, three years ago. I can do it right now.”
Lillard admitted that injuries took their toll, as did the difficult of moving from Portland to Milwaukee while going through a divorce. He also likes that the Bucks are not going to be among the favorites in the Eastern Conference, at least initially.
“The fact that we’re there and we’re under the radar is perfect because they’re gonna think nothing of us and then they’re gonna be like…You gotta face the truth, eventually. That’s how that usually works,” Lillard added.
Lillard averaged 24.3 points and 7.0 assists per game as he adjusted to playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. As he said, he was at times slowed by injury, though he still played in 73 games.
If coach Doc Rivers is to believed, Lillard is going to embark on a very different kind of offseason than what he had last year. He just turned 34 in July, but a recovery is certainly within the realm of possibility.
