The Milwaukee Bucks didn’t let Damian Lillard’s short stay – or his Achilles injury – stop them from giving him a big moment on Monday night. Before the Portland Trail Blazers’ 115-103 win at Fiserv Forum, the Bucks played an emotional tribute video for their former All-Star guard in his first game back in Milwaukee.
Lillard, in street clothes and on the bench for the Blazers as he continues to rehab a torn Achilles tendon, watched and received the crowd as the arena scoreboard rolled through his biggest Bucks highlights and “Dame Time” moments. The Milwaukee crowd responded with a standing ovation.
Bucks Play Damian Lillard Tribute Video in First Game Back
The tribute aired during the first timeout, shortly after tipoff of Portland’s visit to Milwaukee. It was the Trail Blazers’ first game at Fiserv Forum since Lillard rejoined his original franchise in free agency after two seasons with the Bucks.
The video, which the team later shared on its social channels, spliced together Lillard’s game-winners, deep threes and celebrations from his Milwaukee stint, capped with a “Thank you, Dame” message.
After the game, Lillard also shared the Bucks’ tribute clip to his Instagram story, adding three prayer-hands emojis – a subtle sign of appreciation for the franchise that took a big swing on him and then made a painful business decision after he and the Bucks failed to secure a championship.
What the Tribute Means After the Bucks Waived Lillard
The gesture lands differently because of how Lillard’s Milwaukee tenure ended. The Bucks waived and stretched the remaining money on his contract in July to create cap space for a massive deal with center Myles Turner, even though Lillard is expected to miss this season while recovering from the Achilles tear he suffered in the 2025 playoffs.
Lillard then went back to Portland, where he spent the first 11 years of his career and became the face of the franchise before his blockbuster trade to Milwaukee. Monday was the first time he’d been back to Fiserv Forum as a member of the Blazers, and he still made the trip with his new/old team despite not being cleared to play.
For Bucks fans, the tribute video was a reminder of how high the ceiling looked with Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo as a superstar duo – and how fast that window closed because of injuries, cap math and a ruthless Eastern Conference. For Blazers fans, it was a rare moment where both sides could acknowledge Lillard’s Bucks chapter without re-litigating his exits from either city.
Stats, Schedule & Context for Bucks and Blazers
Even with the emotional pregame moment, the on-court result was rough for Milwaukee.
- Final score: Trail Blazers 115, Bucks 103.
- Result: Portland handed Milwaukee its fifth straight loss and improved to 8-10 on the season; the Bucks fell to 8-10 as well.
- Star of the game: Jerami Grant dropped 35 points to lead the Blazers.
- Next up for Portland: Home NBA Cup game vs. the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
- Next up for Milwaukee: Road NBA Cup game at the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
For now, Lillard’s season remains about rehab instead of box scores. But his return to Milwaukee – complete with a tribute video, a standing ovation and a low-key Instagram nod – shows there’s still real affection between the star guard and the city where “Dame Time” briefly moved to the Midwest.
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