LOS ANGELES — — Sunday was Dame Time in Los Angeles.
Damian Lillard, the former Blazers star who moved from Portland to Milwaukee this season, poured 16 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter to lift the Bucks’ to a 124-117 squeaker over the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers.
Lillard hit 11 of 19 shots including 7-of-13 threes to rustrate the Clips. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Bucks’ superstar duo took over the game down the stretch.
The Greak Freak and Dame Time made history be becoming only the second pair of teammates since 1980 to record at least 30 points and 10 assists apiece in the same game, according to the NBA.
“It’s how we work in practice,” Antetokounmpo said. “We got a lot of good shots down the stretch. Tonight it worked, and it’s something we’re going to have to do moving forward.”
“I think it’s getting much better,” Lillard said of his collaboration with Antetokounmpo.
“To start the season, I think a lot of people wanted it to just click and happen right away. But I think any time you put two guys together who have always been the decision-maker, always had their hands on the ball for years and years and years, it’s going to take time for us to learn how to play with each other.”
The Clippers played without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Without their top All-Stars, Norman Powell carried the Clippers offense with 26 points while James Harden had 13 on 5-of-16 shooting and 11 assists.
Clippers head coachTyronn Lue marveled at the Bucks’ 1-2 punch.
“They’re great players, and we understand that,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said of Lillard and Antetokounmpo,
“They had a good game. I thought Dame set the tone early and then took over the game late. Once he got going, it was hard to stop him. We tried to blitz, tried to do some different things, but he had it going and made some big shots.”
