Dame Lillard and the Bucks fans finally have something to savor during the NBA All-Star weekend after the team hit a barren run. Lillard shone the brightest in the All-Star crowd on back-to-back nights. Now, with the glamour of Indianapolis behind everyone, the focus shifts back to the regular season.
Ahead of the resumption, Dame receives some pep talk from a know-it-all of the game, Shaquille O’Neal. His Bucks teammate, Giannis Antetokounmpo, was also in line for Shaq’s class, as the duo hope to pivot back to their 2023 form.
Damian Lillard receives crucial advice from Shaq
The Milwaukee Bucks point guard, Damian Lillard, has achieved massive success during the NBA All-Star weekend. Not only did he win the NBA All-Star Game 2024 and the MVP award for the same, but he also secured victory in the NBA Three-Point Contest for the second consecutive year. He not only received accolades but also crucial advice from an NBA legend who has had one of the most successful careers in the field.
The 4-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal suggested to Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo that they should take the responsibility of talking to their teammates and demand what is required of them. Shaq said, “There’s no reason you should be 3-7 with Doc Rivers over there… You’re gonna have to grab some people by the necks and say, ‘Hey, this is what I need you to do.'” The analyst feels that if things don’t work out, then the team’s main men, Lillard, Giannis and Rivers will be held responsible.
"There’s no reason you should be 3-7 with Doc Rivers over there… You're gonna have to grab some people by the necks and say, 'Hey, this is what I need you to do.'"
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 19, 2024
Shaq’s advice to Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo 🗣️
(via @NBAonTNT)pic.twitter.com/WTKGRxEsr5
The former Lakers legend has never refrained from expressing his views. After the Bucks’ back-to-back losses under Doc Rivers against the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies, Shaq gave his verdict, “The way they’re playing right now, they gonna get swept in the first round”.
Despite the losses in the regular season NBA games with the Bucks, the Rivers managed to win the NBA All-Star game with the Eastern Conference team, which had both Lillard and Antetokounmpo.
Damian Lillard’s performance under Doc Rivers
The Bucks released their head coach Adrian Griffin and appointed Doc Rivers this year in late January. The third-seeded team in the Eastern Conference is struggling under their new head coach and is yet to find their feet. The first game resulted in a loss, and now they have a 3-7 win-loss record in the ten games under Rivers.
Doc Rivers says his new coaching gig with Milwaukee has "been probably more difficult than I thought."
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 18, 2024
“Taking a job when you’re about to go on the toughest road trip of the season is not the smartest decision. I even told them that: ‘Can we wait ‘til All-Star break?’ It would… pic.twitter.com/v921PLLZdz
Lillard missed two games against the Phoenix Suns and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA regular season. In the eight games he played under the 62-year-old so far, Lillard averaged 21.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. He played under Doc in the NBA All-Star game as well and ended up on the winning side with a 211-186 scoreline. He contributed 39 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists in the 28 minutes he played and won the All-Star MVP award.
The Bucks will face the Timberwolves next on February 24, once the NBA All-Star break is over. Let’s see whether Shaq’s advice helps the Bucks turn their fate.
