If the NBA season is now cancelled, Portland Trail Blazers fans can now look at All-NBA teams. Why should Damian Lillard be named in the first team?
Bleacher Report tweeted yesterday that the NBA is considering cancelling this season. Though this is very disappointing for all involved, nut it’s the right move considering the spread of COVID-19.
This means that fans and media will now look towards the end of season awards and All-NBA selections. Portland Trail Blazers fans will have something to be thankful for, as Damian Lillard will again make one of these teams.
It hasn’t been a particularly strong year for NBA guards in terms of their teams winning. James Harden and Chris Paul are the only two top guards who have led their teams to winning records. Albeit, Paul having a slightly smaller role than previous years.
Dame has probably had the toughest situation of all the top guards in the league, with the amount of injuries he had to endure on his team. Team records are quite often taken into account when the All-NBA teams are picked.
This will mark Dame down a little, but as his individual year is better efficiency wise than any of the other guards, then he deserves to be at least in the second team.
Top guards in the 2020 season
— Rip City Project (@ripcityproject) April 4, 2020
ranked by scoring per 100 pssns with
TS% and team wins alongside
Harden 61.6%, 40
Lillard 61.9%, 29
Booker 61.7%, 26
Paul 60.9%, 40
Lowry 58.9%, 46
Young 59.5%, 20
Doncic 58.4%, 40
Mitchell 56.0%, 41
Beal 57.8%, 24
Westbrook 53.9%, 40 pic.twitter.com/x4upjkSEcv
Dame’s run of 48 points a game for two weeks will still be firmly in fans and voters minds too.
In terms of the order, James Harden has to be first. Best in terms of scoring per 100 possessions, second in efficiency and then 40 wins. Luka Doncic was in the ballot as a forward last year, but then was selected as a guard in the All-Star draft this season.
If Luka is a guard then he is a lock next to Harden because of his 28.7 points / 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists. 40 team wins helps too!
On the second team Kyle Lowry or Paul are probably the main competition, but Lowry being the number two option on his Toronto Raptors team probably doesn’t help his case. Paul will get some love because no one expected OKC to be as good as they have been. But neither of these guys have averaged 29 points a game on some of the best efficiency in the league.
Russell Westbrook are Donovan Mitchell are really the only other two who are fighting for a spot in the third team. They have both had good years, but they lack the efficiency and individual scoring to be any higher on this list.
Mitchell has been a good playmaker, but not great. While Westbrook has been an excellent playmaker, but is the clear number two option on his team.
Devin Booker, Trae Young and Bradley Beal have all had great individual years but have played on teams that aren’t anywhere near the playoffs. If Luka is put into the forwards tier, then maybe Booker has a chance of being in the third team conversation.
Dame’s overall case for first team or second team depending on Luka’s position is very strong. Some of the best individual play all year of any player. And on a per possession basis his scoring is only slightly behind Harden.
He is currently the second best guard playing in the league, and with a stronger record and less injures he would be considered the best guard in the league this season.
If this season has been cancelled, we salute Dame for the greatest individual season of his career. This guy just keeps getting better.