Damian Lillard
Per Game Statistics: 24.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists per game on 40.6 percent from the field, 39.4 percent from 3, and 97.0 percent from the free throw line
Advanced Metrics: 61.8 true shooting percentage, -11.2 on-off swing, 27.0 usage percentage
From an outsider’s perspective, there appeared to be an unusual amount of pressure on Damian Lillard to deliver a successful Playoff series, even as a No. 8 seed. There’s a surprisingly overwhelming amount of people — field goal percentage watchers — who aren’t sure how to feel about Portland’s star as a postseason performer. A noteworthy series against an elite defense paired with his bubble brilliance, in theory, would have gone quite a long way.
The fact that Lillard was able to approach his regular season numbers against the Lakers’ defense strategy in itself was impressive in its own right. Lillard blazed Los Angeles with a mixture of long-range bombs and attacks of the basket in the opening game of the series, a method the Lakers excised shortly thereafter. And the finger dislocation and knee sprain couldn’t have helped.
Simple box score statistics won’t convey that. The fact that the Lakers had to shadow Lillard on inbounds passes after made baskets, or on how they had to keep Defensive Player of the Year candidate Anthony Davis and known defensive pest Alex Caruso shadow him 35-feet from the basket on pick-and-rolls.
They took away that part of his game after Game 1, and Lillard — carrying more mileage and expectation on his legs than nearly any player in the NBA — still produced 26.0 points and 4.0 assists per game over his next two games.
Lillard, just as he had in the Pelicans series, spoke of making “the right basketball play,” passing out of those traps, and trusting his team in 4-on-3 situations.
He made 46.5 passes per game, and had 10.5 potential assists in the series, a tick down from the regular season (54.6 and 14.3 potential assists), and only had 4.3 assists to show for it. Players have to make shots, though. As they say in philosophy, “you can lead a horse to water…” but if his jump shot doesn’t “splash” then what?
It seems we should have an effusive outlook in Lillard’s series, above anything else. It did expose one major aspect of his game that probably leaves something to be desired, the off-ball play. Experts discuss how Lillard and McCollum are “too similar,” but they aren’t used in the same way.
Whether or not that’s coaching or a personal matter, seeing Lillard become a more productive off-ball scorer could be a benefit, especially if the Lakers’ defense is a prognostication of how future teams will defend him in future Playoff games.
Grade: B