“Crazy Stats” – Giannis and Lillard solve chemistry problems for revitalized Bucks to eclipse Kobe and Shaq’s historic numbers

The Milwaukee Bucks have turned things around in remarkable fashion.

A few weeks ago, the Bucks started the season 2-8 and franchise foe Giannis Antetokounmpo was the focus of serious trade speculation.

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Fast forward and Giannis, along with superstar teammate Damian Lillard, are the NBA’s deadliest duo for a 14-11 Bucks team that is just one game away from winning the NBA Cup.

On Tuesday night in Las Vegas, the Bucks will face Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the outstanding Oklahoma City Thunder in the championship game of the in-season tournament.

The heavily criticized showpiece in Las Vegas lacks virtually all of the prestige and prestige of an NBA championship, but it represents a chance at silver medals, no matter how insignificant, for a team that was largely written off early in the season but is gradually increasing the advance is the right direction.

For the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023, see Milwaukee in 2024.

The Bucks won a World Championship in 2021 and seemed destined to dominate the Association over the next five years while the “Greek Freak” wreaked havoc.

That didn’t happen, however, as injuries, an early exit from the playoffs and the rise of the powerful Boston Celtics team left a battered and struggling Bucks team in the dust.

To maximize the $186 million player Giannis’ championship window, Milwaukee made a big offseason splash in 2023 by trading All-NBA guard Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers as Oscar Robertson for Antetokounmpo’s Kareem-Abdul Jabbar committed.

On paper, the fit between “Dame Time” and Giannis was as surefire as it gets, but the Antetokounmpo-Lillard axis struggled to find its groove.

A turbulent 2023 season ended with a first-round playoff exit and a coaching change with Doc Rivers replacing incumbent Adrian Griffin.

Suddenly, the Lillard-Antetokounmpo tandem raised more questions than it answered, with no obvious solution.

Previously, they had both been their teams’ undisputed No. 1 options — Dame in Portland, Giannis in Milwaukee — but suddenly they had teamed up without really knowing how to blend their individual styles.

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Both stars, named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team, acknowledged their chemistry issues and admitted they would overcome the teething problems while remaining as open – and accountable – with each other as possible.

“Me and him (Giannis) have to be able to hold each other accountable,” Lillard said.

“I need to be able to tell you something. And you have to be able to tell me something at any time.”

“He always had to go full throttle in Milwaukee … and I was always like that in Portland. And I think now that we’re together… we both have to look over and say, ‘That’s a top 75 player too.’ .’ And I have to trust him to carry this with me.

The 2024 season was a new beginning and a chance to put that “trust” to the test.

But their relationship seemed as fragile as ever as the new campaign began, as Milwaukee endured one loss after another – including a double-digit loss to Boston – leaving them at the foot of the Eastern Conference.

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The Bucks were derided by media and analysts alike as legitimate championship contenders.

After four straight double-digit losses in October, one media outlet called the Bucks a “sinking ship” and claimed it was “becoming increasingly clear that Milwaukee is no longer giving Antetokounmpo his best chance to win.”

Since then, however, through either hard work or divine intervention, the Bucks have transformed themselves into a more than competent basketball operation.

They went 6-1 after that 2-8 start and won their last three games, including a 114-109 win over the Orlando Magic in the NBA Cup quarterfinals and a 110-102 semifinal victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

The firepower of Antetokounmpo and Lillard proved too much for either team, and the All-Star pair showed signs that they may still be at their dizzying limit.

Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 37 points, seven rebounds, two steals and four blocks against the Magic. Lillard added 28 points and nine assists and scored 11 of Milwaukee’s final 13 points in the fourth quarter.

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Giannis posted a 32-point, 14-rebound, nine-assist and four-block performance against the Hawks, while Lillard added 25 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

As a pair, Lillard and Giannis deliver near-unprecedented performance.

Antetokounmpo is the NBA’s leading scorer, averaging 32.7 points per game, while Dame is 11th with 25.7 points per game.

They lead all duos in points per game and total points this season. They are currently averaging 58.4 points per game, the third-highest point total by any two teammates since the NBA-ABA merger.

To put that into historical context, Giannis and Dame averaged more points as a duo than Los Angeles Lakers greats Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant in the 2000-2001 (57.2 ppg) and 2002-2003 seasons ( 57.5 ppg).

The Bucks pair trails only James Harden and Russell Westbrook (61.5 ppg) in the 2019-20 season and the Mavs duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving (59.5 ppg) in the 2023-24 season, which is the combined score.

“Crazy statistic,” one fan posted on social media.

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It goes without saying that the Bucks’ All-NBA duo put together a masterclass in the two-man game, particularly in the clutch, which ultimately brought Milwaukee to the brink of NBA Cup success.

After the semifinal win against the Hawks, Lillard shared his thoughts on his growing chemistry with Antetokounmpo.

“You have to play the game correctly, especially when you are in a good team,” said the 34-year-old general secretary.

“I’m on the field with a lot of good players and I shoot a lot. You’re out there with a guy like Giannis who’s going to get a lot of attention when things go south.”

“For me there is really no reason to force the action. There’s nothing wrong with getting away from the ball and keeping your distance – that’s why giving the ball a chance to move is a big part of our success. He ends up where he belongs” to the point where everyone does the right thing.

It’s taken some time, but Giannis and Dame are finally starting to realize their devastating potential.

The pair enter the NBA Cup Final as underdogs against No. 1 seed OKC, which has one of the league’s most exciting young rosters and is expected to win this season’s chip.

Nonetheless, Milwaukee should take comfort in the fact that they have arguably the best two players from both rosters on their side, capable of beating any team on any given night in a one-off, winner-takes-all shootout.