In his first NBA season outside of the Portland Trail Blazers organization, Damian Lillard has been up and down for the Milwaukee Bucks.

On some nights, such as in Milwaukee’s recent win over the Brooklyn Nets, he’ll look like the top-75 all time player he is, while on others, he’ll struggle mightily. Thankfully, it has been more of the former than the latter lately, as Lillard has been in an excellent groove. Over his last three games, the veteran is averaging 31 points while shooting 51.6 percent from the floor and 51.7 percent from deep.

Brooklyn Nets v Milwaukee Bucks

When Lillard is hitting his shots at an efficient rate, Milwaukee becomes that much more dominant.On the surface, that might not seem too far-fetched. Yes, one would expect the team to perform at a higher level when the star guard is shooting efficiently, but how about posting a 23-1 record when Lillard shoots 50 percent or better this season? That’s flat-out incredible.

1 Stat that highlights how Damian Lillard’s efficiency could put Bucks over the top

There are few players more difficult to deal with than a red-hot Lillard. Not only can he slither through the defense down low, but he can also tee off from the logo at any given moment. He’s an elite scorer, and, as this particular stat captures, the Milwaukee Bucks are a tough out when he’s putting points on the board with regularity.

Now, the key for Lillard will be doing it with Milwaukee’s other top two scorers in the fold. There has not been much continuty for those three this season, as it feels like one of them has always been out. When those three are playing, the Milwaukee Bucks do not need Lillard to always drop 30 – though it certainly wouldn’t hurt – but they do need the efficiency to take this team to the next level.

Above all else, the most significant area for Lillard will be his perimeter shot. He’s currently having his second-most efficient 3-point shooting month of the 2023-24 season, and it ‘s taken his game to the next level. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton on the floor, Lillard will get his share of good looks from deep (and everywhere else), and he simply needs to capitalize on them.

This particular stat could make or break Milwaukee’s title aspirations in the coming months.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.