Damian Lillard is not the playoff choker everyone thinks he is

PORTLAND, OR - MAY 2: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers (L) celebrates with Robin Lopez #42 of the Portland Trail Blazers after Lilliard hit a last second shot to win the game in the fourth quarter of Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Houston Rockets during the 2014 NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center on May 2, 2014 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - MAY 2: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers (L) celebrates with Robin Lopez #42 of the Portland Trail Blazers after Lilliard hit a last second shot to win the game in the fourth quarter of Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Houston Rockets during the 2014 NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center on May 2, 2014 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
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PORTLAND, OR – APRIL 24: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors dunks against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2017 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR – APRIL 24: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors dunks against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2017 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images)

Blazers versus Warriors round two

Worse than the year before, Portland only saw Golden State four times before heading home disappointed. This time, the Warriors had Kevin Durant while the Blazers fielded a roster missing its new piece – Jusuf Nurkic.

With no other teammate besides McCollum scoring more than 12 points, Lillard shouldered a majority of the offensive load.

He scored 27.8 points per game, his highest of any cumulative playoff run. He hit 3.8 three-pointers at a low 28.1% rate, but knocked down 43.3% of his field goals to compensate.

Again, Lillard went toe-to-toe with a red hot Steph Curry. Curry recorded 29.8 points per game on 4.8 three-pointers, shooting a slightly more efficient 45.1% from the field.

Something to remember in the stat comparisons of Curry and Lillard. Curry did his damage against a defense ranked in the bottom third of the league. Lillard, on the other hand, was responsible for almost the same amount of points against the Warriors’ second best defense.