Damian Lillard 2013-2014 playoffs
Of five playoff appearances, Damian Lillard’s debut was one of two times he advanced to the Conference Semifinals.
Blazers vs. Rockets
In the final 0.9 seconds of Game 6 against the Houston Rockets, he hit “The Shot” – one of the most infamous game-winners in NBA history and the first ever to win an entire playoff series.
Before sinking that career-altering three-pointer, a 23-year-old Lillard averaged 25.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 3.8 three-pointers per game. He shot an incredibly efficient 46.8% from the field and 48.9% from beyond the arc.
Even better? Those numbers came against Patrick Beverley, one of the touchiest, most annoying defenders in the league. Beverley recorded 1.2 steals per game, slightly lower than his regular season average in 2013-2014.
Despite the pressure of leading a team in his first playoff appearance, Lillard subsequently only turned the ball over 2.7 times per game, 0.3 higher than his regular season average.
In his second season with the Houston Rockets, James Harden failed to outperform the second-year Lillard. He averaged 26.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.7 threes per game on 37.6% field goal shooting and 29.8% three-point shooting.
The series marked Harden’s second straight playoff exit in the first round.
Blazers vs. Spurs
The experience of Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs got the better of Damian Lillard in the Conference Semis. San Antonio won the series in five games, ending Portland’s brief cinderella story.
Lillard averaged 19.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 0.8 three-pointers per game. He shot 41.1% from the field and a gut-wrenching 17.4% from three.
In 2014, Parker was a spry 31 years old (25 in Spurs players’ age), and Kawhi Leonard was 22. Those two, combined with a few other key players and the brilliant mind of Gregg Popovich, formed the fourth best defense in the league.
They held the Blazers to 95.4 points each outing. In comparison, the Rockets held Lillard and company to 108.3 points per.
San Antonio played suffocating defense the round before against the Dallas Mavericks as well.
Monta Ellis, the team’s primary scoring guard, averaged 20.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game on 40.9% shooting and 35.3% three-point shooting versus the Spurs.
That season was at the end of Ellis’ prime. He posted 19.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game during the regular season. Despite the strong season and nine years of experience, he couldn’t produce much against the Spurs defense either.