Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks came up big on Monday night as they secured an important win against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center, 129-125.

This was Milwaukee’s first road game of the new season and it was definitely great to see their cornerstone superstar lead the way with a vintage performance.

Giannis flexed his dominance on both ends of the floor against the Nets. The former back-to-back MVP finished with a season-high 36 points on 15-of-27 shooting. On the opposite side of the floor, Antetokounmpo secured 10 of his 12 rebounds on the defensive end, while also coming up with a steal, and two crucial blocks down the stretch to close out the game.

After the game, Damian Lillard was asked to share his thoughts on his superstar teammates’ ability to impact the game on both ends. Dame had nothing but praise for Giannis as Lillard talked up Antetokounmpo’s elite versatility:

“It’s extremely important,”

Lillard said. “Anytime you got a guy who’s so versatile, obviously defensively, but offensively, he’s setting screens, and now he’s coming downhill, he’s obviously able to finish with contact. But he also can see the floor and see those passes. Guys get quality shots with him in the middle of the defense. It’s definitely to our benefit to have that type of lineup and that type of weapon to be in those situations.”

Now that Lillard is seeing Giannis up close, it’s clear how dominant he can be on both ends of the court. It’s truly amazing to witness, and Dame will undoubtedly take every action necessary to reap the same benefits.

Despite shooting just 5 of 15 points effectively against the Nets, Lillard finished with 21 points. He did add two three-pointers, a steal, seven assists, and six rebounds.

With the Bucks, Dame will have no shortage of opportunities as long as Giannis continues to play at this level. It’s only a matter of time before Lillard goes off on one of his trademark hot streaks.