Why its Time to Give Damian Lillard the Respect He Deserves

"You've got guys complaining about getting snubbed until they get in." This was reining MVP Russell Westbrook's apparent dig at Damian Lillard earlier in the year when the all star teams were originally announced. It's no secret that Lillard was snubbed from the 2016 and 2017 all star games, and he was very vocal in voicing his displeasure. But no matter who you are, whether you are a fan, a NBA analyst or even an NBA player, its time to give Damian Lillard the long-awaited respect he has earned.


If you asked anybody about the Portland Traiblazers playoff chances before the season started, many would have scoffed at you. In the ultra competitive Western Conference playoff  picture, the Trailblazers were on the outside looking in. The most optimistic of NBA analysts predicted a low playoff seed for the Trailblazers. And it made a lot of sense. All the Trailblazers really had were a high octane offense that was carried by their backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. They could not play defense, did not have a third option they could rely on, lacked a shut down defender or even a good bench. And while many of their Western Conference counterparts had improved dramatically over the offseason, the Trailblazers did nothing significant. And yet, "Rip City", led by their superstar Damian Lillard find themselves comfortably sitting in third in the Western Conference, only behind the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets, and currently have the longest active win streak in the NBA at 9 games.

Every NBA fan knew that Damian Lillard was an all star caliber player. But nobody could have predicted that Lillard would have elevated his game and become a legitimate MVP candidate this year. His whole career, Lillard has been known as an explosive scorer. With a smooth stroke, limitless range and a quick handle, Lillard has only ever averaged less than 20 points once in his career (which was his rookie year where he averaged 19.0). Just last month, Lillard dropped 50 points in just 29 minutes against the Sacremento Kings! Lillard also has gained a reputation for being a clutch player. "Dame Time" has shown up time and time again and saved the Trailblazers with a clutch 3-poiinter or a runner in the lane. But despite this, Lillard has constantly been overlooked by NBA fans. But not for much longer.

This season, Damian has been playing at an elite level. Lillard is averaging  26.8 points per game on 44.7% from the field. He has emerged as a better playmaker this year, averaging 6.5 assists. Also, Lillard has the 6th highest win shares in the league at 9.9 and is ranked 9th for PER (player efficiency rating). Lillard recently became the fastest player in Trailblazers franchise history to reach 10 000 points and is 1 of 8 players in NBA history to have 10 000 points and 2500 assists in his first 6 seasons. On the defensive end, Lillard is putting in more effort and has improved noticeably. He is fighting through screens and competing to stay in front of his man. Lillard's defensive improvements have had a big impact on the Trailblazers. This year they are ranked 5th in team defense, which has come as a surprise for everybody.With their strong play recently and their superstar Lillard playing at an elite level, it is safe to say that the Trailblazers have a good shot at a deep run in the playoffs this year.

With Lillard playing at an MVP level for much of the 2017-2018 season, it is time to give him the respect he deserves. Lillard deserves to be participating in all star games for years to come, without questions about whether he should be there or not. He deserves to be ranked amongst the best players in the league. He has earned and cemented his spot as a top 5 point guard in the NBA and he is definitely worthy of MVP and All-NBA consideration this season.


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