“Grab some people by the neck": Shaquille O'Neal gives Damian Lillard stern advice on Bucks' abysmal run

Damian Lillard received strong advice from Shaquille O'Neal, the esteemed four-time champion and an inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, amid Milwaukee Bucks' recent struggles.

The Bucks, along with Lillard, have not lived up to the hype and expectations surrounding them with the moves made by the team in the offseason for the ultimate goal, which is to win the NBA championship.

Lillard, who has been vocal about his ambition in his career to be an accomplished champion, has arguably had the most expectations for the first time in a title contending team. Shaq, who has been a part of dynasties, gave him a word on what needs to be done between him and Giannis Antetokounmpo, he said:

"You and Giannis are being too nice. When it's all said and done and it dont work out three people are going to be blamed, Doc, you and Giannis"

Shaq continued,

"There’s no reason you should be 3-7 with Doc Rivers over there… You're gonna have to grab some people by the necks and say, 'Hey, this is what I need you to do.'"

The Bucks, who were second in the East with a 30-13 record, dismissed ex-coach Adrian Griffin, with whom they boasted the second-highest offense in the league with a 121.9 offensive rating.

Since then, it has fallen to a 113.3 offensive rating with a slight improvement in its defense at 115.4, culminating in a net -2.0 rating under new head coach Doc Rivers.

Shaq's comments on Lillard requiring to be more demanding of his teammates may be what's necessary within the team's locker room to uplift their morale and play, especially after losing two straight games to both short-handed injury-riddled Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies team without their best players.

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Damian Lillard wins 3-point contest and All-Star game MVP

Over the weekend, Lillard expressed his gratitude for being selected as a starter for the first time, acknowledging the honor despite not experiencing his usual dominant offensive season in his first year with Milwaukee.

Lillard demonstrated his gratitude for the opportunity by first clinching his second consecutive three-point contest title on Saturday, marking him as the first player in 15 years to secure the title in successive seasons.

Then, on Sunday, he captivated the audience, overshadowing Oshkosh native and local favorite Tyrese Haliburton.

In addition to his long-range shots, Lillard incorporated several of his signature moves into the game. This included a step-back move against Kevin Durant and a step-back midrange jumper over LeBron James.

Furthermore, the former slam dunk contest contender showcased a slick finger roll after being driven away from the three-point line, adding variety to his scoring arsenal.

The All-Star Weekend may have been the boost and a restart plug needed for the Lillard and Antetokounmpo to re-energize for the second half of the season with heavy lifting to do.