In celebration after Giannis Antetokounmpo’s finger roll to end the play, Damian Lillard paused close to the free-throw line and gave his right fist a single pump.

The Milwaukee Bucks point guard and teammate Bobby Portis shouted into the void of the home crowd, their arms flexed. Then he turned to face Malik Beasley, giving his teammate an embrace and shouting some more. Lillard yelled at Antetokounmpo as well and gave him a high five as he composed himself and moved to the free throw line.

With the Bucks, Lillard has already played in 65 games and already produced some incredible plays at crucial times. He has made some incredible shots, like as the game-winning basket at Fiserv Forum. Even after all those plays, the seasoned point guard kept his steely attitude. But after Antetokounmpo’s performance on Thursday night, which broke a 96-all tie and led to a victory over the Brooklyn Nets, that was no longer the case.

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“Obviously, we played last night, and they had some momentum. It was a close game, and it just came down to who would make some plays on offense and defense. Lillard responded, “It was a timely play,” when asked to describe his current state of mind. We were a little bit exhausted. produced a steal. Even though we were exhausted, I noticed everyone running out as soon as I got the ball. I struck Crowder, Jae. Jae struck Giannis. An and-one is awarded to you.

“Regardless of who we’re playing or anything else, those are the plays you want to see the team execute at the end of a game. just triumphant plays. You’re stopped. You go ahead and pass it. Jae could have easily entered and attempted to do the same, but when he noticed Giannis trailing, he struck him. And you score a and-one. In my opinion, those are the plays we absolutely need to make in the last minutes of any game. The play was thrilling.

That play turned the tide of the game in the Bucks’ favor, but they still needed to make more plays to defeat the Nets.

The Bucks gave lost a 20-point edge and allowed the Nets to regain the lead, but Lillard’s steal gave them the momentum back, and they went on to win the second game of a back-to-back 115-108. Although Lillard finished the game with 30 points and 12 assists, the Bucks gained the advantage late in Thursday’s game thanks to his defense in the last four minutes.

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Antetokounmpo (21 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists) stated, “It means a lot.” “It goes without saying that having a team leader who not only scored the steal but also two more after that, he scored another steal. It also means a lot to be able to send the ball ahead and have faith in his teammates to make the appropriate play.

He certainly has a dopamine rush when we make the perfect play for the team because he put his trust in us to make the best decision. But in the end, Dame is the one who initiates everything. We won’t get any baskets if Dame doesn’t get that stop or the one after that. Thus, Dame is where it all begins.

Due in large part to his efforts on the offensive end of the court, Lillard has received multiple distinctions during his twelve NBA seasons, including seven All-NBA selections. Lillard has made an effort to improve his defense this season with the Bucks, even though it hasn’t always been flawless. On Thursday, that paid off.

“I don’t think I’ve been known as a defender throughout my career, but as the games have gone on, I’ve always been able to have a moment or finish a game defensively,” Lillard stated. And a steal won’t happen to you every time. Sometimes it’s just about standing up to a guy you know is going to attack and forcing someone else to do it, or it could be about being a low man and lending a helping hand.

However, tonight’s events were coincidentally thefts. We don’t have anything else to play for but to win, so I think it’s crucial for everyone on a team this good to just do everything it takes to help the team win. Thus, I believe that it will occur in a variety of ways. And that is just how it transpired tonight.

Lillard performed what he has done all his career on offense in addition to his defensive duties. The Bucks led by five points after Lillard dribbled away his second theft and found Beasley for a corner three. The Nets interim head coach, Kevin Ollie, tried to calm his team down by calling a timeout. It was unsuccessful.

Following the timeout, the Bucks compelled a halt to clear the path for Lillard to advance offensively:

The Bucks executed again following another stop, and Lillard produced a comparable outcome:

Giving up a 20-point lead and letting the Nets back into the game will not sit well with the Bucks, but these kinds of mistakes can happen on the second night of a back-to-back, particularly when the first game was a great matchup in Boston against the best team in the NBA.

Doc Rivers, the coach of the Bucks, commented, “I like that we kind of got out ourselves.” They went in first. We returned. We experienced stops. Dame played outstanding defense tonight. Every game. You could see that he is a highly competitive man tonight.

Furthermore, Lillard demonstrated his competitiveness in two unexpected ways: through his emotional range and his defense.