Dame Time was on full display tonight at Fiserv Forum. While there was no buzzer beater, Lillard caught heat early, shouldering the void left by Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s absence. He capped a 19-point 1st quarter performance with a step-back three and continued with a 16-point second quarter. At the half, Dame had clinched the Milwaukee Bucks‘ first-half playoff scoring record, albeit while handing a 27-point deficit to the Indiana Pacers. He was evidently rested before the game and had years of playoff fuel in his strides on the court.

With that, when asked about his current approach in light of recent playoff ineligibilities, Damian simply said, “Last 2 years not being in the playoffs, you know, it sucked.” However, always optimistic, Dame then radiated at the early off-season as extra time on his hands; something that he utilized by vacationing to Coachella and tending to his hobbies. The mentioned two seasons were the first time since his rookie year that Damian Lillard clocked an early offseason in his 11 years with the Portland Trail Blazers.

While the majority of similar superstars were forging super teams, Lillard displayed loyal support to Portland. As competitions evolved, he sought to complement role players and the franchise to prioritize winning. However, Portland failed to radiate the same, prompting him to request a trade and address his superstardom potential.

Damian Lillard’s playoff stats

With his record-setting 35-point first half with the Bucks, Damian Lillard averages 25.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.5 rebounds across 62 playoff games. Lillard went on to 8 straight playoffs with the Blazers and saw 5 first-round exits in those stints. His worst playoff stint came through one of the five (2017-18), where he posted just 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on less than 36% shooting.

However, he came back with a storm in his step. Despite all the injuries that the regular season posed him against, Lillard mounted his deepest playoff run to the conference finals before falling to the packed unit of Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson in the Bay Area.

Damian Lillard’s best playoff production comes through the 2020-21 season, where he bombarded for 34.3 points and 10.2 assists per game (46.3% from the field and 44.9% from three).

Luckily, Lillard joined the Bucks when their 2021 championship superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, triggered similar things in Milwaukee. The Greek Freak gave the franchise an ultimatum to prove a winning mindset, all while hinting to leave if he feels otherwise. This opened the door for Dame’s entry.

Now, Lillard displays a profound approach through his recent interview. He said, “Being able to be in a playoff series on a championship team in a championship organization. Knowing that we got an opportunity for it, I think that was the thing I was looking forward to most”, potentially hinting that this could be Lillard’s best-ever post-season run in his career.