On Sunday night, Damian Lillard reminded the entire NBA world why the Milwaukee Bucks traded away an important piece of their 2021 championship-winning team just to get his services. Lillard has one of the greatest killer instincts among everyone who has stepped foot on an NBA court, and against the Sacramento Kings, it was the star point guard who once again drove the dagger, hitting an absurdly difficult leaning three-pointer from around 32 feet right at the death to secure a 143-142 overtime victory for the Bucks.

Lillard finished with a team-high 29 points to go along with eight assists, leading the way for a Bucks team that was trading blows with the Kings all night long. But his impact on his team goes beyond his contributions on the hardwood. Head coach Adrian Griffin, following the game, shed some light on how Lillard not just led the team by example, but also by his ability to rally his teammates to pour their hearts out on the court.

“He's a shooter, that's what shooters do. He never lacks confidence. He has that quiet strength, he doesn't talk much, but when he does talk, people listen. He's a leader. He shows it through his performance. He was vocal in the timeouts, especially in overtime,” Griffin said, per the official NBA Twitter (X) account, via ClutchPoints.

Damian Lillard is someone who can create his shot from everywhere on the court, making him quite the valuable player for a Bucks team that has seen its offense stall in the halfcourt during the grandest of stages. But beyond his skillset, it's his battle-testedness and ability to seize the moment for his team that puts his impact for his squad over the top.

“He knows how important games like this are as far as our team, to bring us together. It would have been a shame if we could not pull this out because I just thought that everyone contributed. Our team was the more resilient tonight and I thought we proved that,” Griffin added.

Given the Bucks' middling play as of late, as well as Damian Lillard's struggles from the field, this rousing victory could not have come at a better time — especially when they're also on the second night of a back-to-back.