Bucks' Giannis Calls Damian Lillard 'A Little Version of Me' After 1st Game Together

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are already enjoying life together.

The duo played together for the first time in Sunday's 108-97 preseason win over the Los Angeles Lakers, with Giannis putting up 16 points and eight boards in just 15 minutes and Dame adding 14 points, three assists and four steals in 22 minutes.

The pair very much appeared to be on the same page, almost immediately.

"I feel like it's like a little version of me," Antetokounmpo told reporters regarding Lillard. "A guard version. ... Quiet. Goes about his business. Takes care of his family. Shows up. Practices really hard. Helps his teammates when he needs to be vocal."

He added that he's "never been this open" and has already "learned so much" from Dame.

The love fest was mutual.

"Having another guy out there that's just dominant," Lillard said of pairing with Antetokounmpo. "He can dominate a game and win you a game. ... First couple plays, they blitz me, they trap me and the guy that I'm releasing the ball to is Giannis. So I'm just like, 'Uh, we can do this all night.' You know what I mean?"

There will be an adjustment period as the duo learns each other's tendencies and as defenses adjust accordingly after the huge offseason trade that landed Lillard in Milwaukee. But the opening act was a showstopper.