Damian Lillard reveals origins of his iconic phrase ‘Dame Time’ with IG post
Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard discussed the origins of his iconic "Dame Time" celebration, revealing it originated from a game-winning shot he made against the Houston Rockets while playing for the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard shared the story in a video posted Monday on the NBA's Instagram account.
The Trail Blazers trailed the Rockets at the Moda Center in that 2014 game. With 0.9 seconds remaining, Lillard received an inbounds pass, evaded defenders and made a three-pointer to give Portland a 99-98 victory.
"It was a shot I hit against the Rockets in the playoffs and we ran the same exact play. And before the game our coach he had told us like if we win this game, I'ma let y'all go home for Christmas. I hit the shot and we end up winning the game. so when I came back to the bench everyone was like excited and I don't know it just came to me. I was like 'Dame Time.'"
Whenever a game was on the line, fans would chant the phrase and he would deliver.
He demonstrated that again last Tuesday when his clutch play helped the Milwaukee Bucks secure their place in the 2024 NBA Cup Finals. He hit a stepback 3-pointer with less than a minute on the clock against the Magic with the game tied at 106-106.
Lillard opens up on how Bucks stopped Hawks to reach the 2024 Emirates Cup final
Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo were on fire as the Bucks moved one step closer to clinching the Emirates NBA Cup. Lillard revealed how he and the Greek Freak executed their offensive plan to earn a win over the Hawks Saturday.
“They are one of the fastest teams in the league. A lot of times, teams that play at that pace offensively, they struggle to get back when the ball is going the other way. That is why we found success pushing the ball the other way,” Lillard said. “As the game went on, it becomes a game where execution matters ... You want to make them defend to where it works in your favor.
“That is what we did. We went to that two-man game with me and Giannis on the clear side, so we had space, and there were no extra defenders there. We had Brook [Lopez] in the paint, so when they rotated to Giannis early, we had that high-low working,” Lillard added.
Lillard and Antetokounmpo combined for 57 points and 16 assists in the victory. The Bucks have rebounded from a slow start to the season, putting themselves in position to win the NBA Cup and make a run over the final two-thirds of the season.