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DeMar DeRozan and Damian Lillard shared a heartwarming moment after the first preseason game between the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks. While the result may not have gone the former's way, that didn't stop the two California natives from showing love. Lillard sat out of the team's first preseason game and was a spectator, while DeRozan started for the Bulls and played the first half.
Taking to Instagram, DeRozan reshared Lillard's story of the two embracing, with the Bucks guard calling him his "brother."
While Lillard is from Oakland, DeRozan is a Compton native. Both superstars in their own right, the duo have previously expressed admiration and support to each other.
In 2018, Lillard had a consolatory message to the now-Bulls star after he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs by the Toronto Raptors. He posted a photo of himself and DeRozan slapping hands, tagged DeRozan, and wrote, "It's a dirty game."
That said, they may be brothers off the floor, but on the hardwood, they are fierce competitors. While much cannot be made out of the preseason game, the regular season will see these two stars go toe-to-toe in their quest for an NBA title.
Both Damian Lillard and DeMar DeRozan are yet to win their maiden NBA title
The one common objective between both these stars is to win an NBA championship. After 11 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard asked to be traded to the Miami Heat but ended up making his way to Milwaukee instead. As for DeMar DeRozan, he will look to run it back with his teammates Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic to win his first championship.
While Lillard's pairing with Giannis Antetokounmpo makes the Bucks legitimate title contenders, the Bulls trio will have to punch well beyond their weight. Last season, they failed to make the postseason, and despite the criticism at the front office, the franchise decided to run it back with the same unit.
The first preseason game saw DeRozan end his time with seven points and two rebounds in 17 minutes, and the number gets bumped up gradually over the course of the four preseason games they have remaining.
As for Lillard, it remains to be seen if he suits up for the Bucks in the next game. The side plays the Memphis Grizzlies twice in their remaining four contests and once against the Los Angeles Lakers.
