Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) and forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Damian Lillard is killing Bucks defense

By Sean Keane | Last updated 11/8/23

All-Star guard Damian Lillard has had some moments of offensive brilliance for the Milwaukee Bucks. He's had even more moments of awful defense.

Through six games, the Bucks are 4-2 but have the league's 24th-ranked defense. Some of that is new head coach Adrian Griffin's scheme, which he finally adjusted in the Bucks' 110-105 win against the New York Knicks, putting Brook Lopez into a deeper drop.

Brad Botkin of CBS Sports analyzed Milwaukee's defensive possessions and delivered a harsh verdict on Lillard's defensive effort, calling it "borderline disgraceful."

"To suggest Lillard is uncommitted to playing defense would be an understatement. In reality, the guy is playing some of the laziest, flat-out worst defense of his career, and that is really saying something for a guy who has always been a pretty apathetic defender. It's been borderline disgraceful at times."

Last season, the Bucks had the NBA's fourth-ranked defense. They have a former Defensive Player of the Year in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, who finished second in the DPOY vote for 2022-23. After swapping five-time All-Defensive Team member Jrue Holiday for Lillard, the defense is severely slumping, especially in transition, where Lillard has too many plays where he simply doesn't run back.

Lillard is never going to be an All-Defensive player. The Bucks don't expect him to be, but they do need him to try. There are too many plays where Lillard jogs back on defense, takes himself out of a play trying for an impossible steal or allows a player like Jimmy Butler to sprint past him unchallenged.

Perhaps they are bad habits from his last few campaigns in Portland, where the teams weren't competitive and Lillard shouldered a huge defensive burden. But it's telling that Lillard's old team is ninth in defense so far this season.

Lillard came to Milwaukee to compete for a championship. He's going to have to compete harder on defense if the Bucks are going to make a title run.

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