It was a preseason game. Or was it? ESPN cameras, a sold-out crowd, physicality you rarely see in a meaningless mid-October matchup. Lakers vs. Bucks on Sunday afternoon had a regular-season vibe. Maybe more. When Milwaukee’s locker room door swung open after a 108–97 win, no one marched out of it with a broader smile than Damian Lillard.
For all the talk about money and Miami, this, this, was what Lillard missed. The energy. The excitement. The chance to play for a contender. In his first game in a Bucks uniform Lillard scored 14 points in 22 minutes. His shot was rusty (3-for-10 from the floor) and, not surprisingly, his timing was a little off. But he was a plus-7 overall and had a few menacing moments alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo on the floor.
“Good luck to everyone else,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “I’m glad we only have to see them twice a season.”
