The NBA’s most menacing tandem on paper might be Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks. Because Antetokounmpo puts so much pressure on the rim and Lillard extends defenders outside the arc to take advantage of the space Antetokounmpo creates in the paint, the two players’ playstyles complement each other naturally. But Lillard hasn’t performed well at all in the preseason.

The new Bucks floor general, Damian Lillard, shot 3-10 from the field in the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. On Tuesday, he shot even worse, going 2-11 from the field and 0-5 from three. Some fans might be worried that adding the seven-time All-Star would not be as beneficial as others believe, given the current what have you done for me mentality among supporters.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, however, is all in favor of his new Bucks teammate. On his official Instagram account, Antetokounmpo shared a photo of himself supporting Damian Lillard along with the message, “🤝🏾.”

Furthermore, considering that Lillard’s two unimpressive preseason performances with the Bucks thus far are simply preseason, there is absolutely no cause for alarm. It’s also crucial to remember that Lillard missed the last few weeks of the 2022–2023 season because of the Portland Trail Blazers’ disastrous season-ending performance. For this reason, it’s not shocking at all to watch him battle rust as he gets back into game shape.

When the Bucks play the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, October 26, 2023–24, expect Lillard to be playing at the highest level.