Lillard is wayyyyyyyy better than "Billups in his third year"

Billups averaged 9 ppg and 3 apg

Bad comparison, Kenny

 

More like Billups in his 8th year

 

Whoopdee fucking doo

 

Agreed. Kenny is clueless. And I think Dame will end up being better than prime Chauncey in the next few years. He's got so much more to offer than being a steadying presence who can shoot.

 

I like the Billups comparison too but this is where I hope Damian makes the most improvement. Great PG defense changes whole game plan of what the other team is trying to do.

 

I had not thought of Billups before, but I can see it. Wasn't he "Mr. Big Shot" ?

Yeah it took Billups a few years to find the right situation, but he was one of the best in the League. I would be thrilled if Lillard played at that level for Portland.

 

He's got Detroit Billups' swag and three point range. But it seemed like Billups relied more on strength than speed with his offensive game.

I agree that the pre-Detroit Billups is a very bad comparison.

 

I don't think he was saying third-year Billups and first-year Lillard had the same production. I think he was comparing their poise and pace. I think it was quite a compliment.

 

Billups is the best comparison out there, and one we should be very happy with. Billups was considered very athletic in college, but came into the league with limited PG skills. He is one of the very VERY few players who grew into a great PG from someone who started with below-average PG skills. But his best feature was/is his demeanor: he is a calm leader. The Pistons lost their soul when they lost him. Rip Hamilton literally cried on his shoulder when it happened. Meanwhile, the Nuggets instantly became a contender, despite trading Iverson for him, who wasn't that far off his MVP year.

Yes, Lillard's numbers are better than Billups in his early years. But if Lillard ever gets to where Billups got, we should be ecstatic.

 

Haven't you learned yet that even if one of the players was compared to Christ himself you would have people saying it was unfair to our player?

 

I see a lot of similarities between Billups and Lillard. Physical attributes, composure, skill set. But, that doesn't quite capture it. I see just as much Tony Parker in Lillard. Very similar impact on the flow of the game, if not style of play exactly. That'll just have to do, a Billups/Parker combo!

 

Billups didn't really find a place in the league til like his 4th or 5th season right?

 

At least. I think he was in his 6th season before he was putting up the numbers he's known for

 

I actually see him like a Billups in his prime. I think they are both deadly from the perimeter and cool and collective; even under the worst pressure. I just think Damien is a stronger finisher and much quicker. Billups seems a bit smarter and more consistent from the perimeter.

KINGSPEED. I don't think Kenny Smith was comparing Lillard to Billups the rookie. I think he was comparing Lillard to Billups as a whole.

 

I hope Damian can master the tear drop like Parker has. That makes him so deadly and creates 3 things to be worried about for the defense (shooting, driving and the tear drop)

 

Definitely. But with Lillard's advanced outside game, he doesn't have to be quite as good as Parker at the mid-range stuff to be just as effective. Likewise, their pacing is quite a bit different, but their numbers and how they get them are pretty similar. And let's not forget, Parker was damn good right from the get go. One of the most underrated players in the game, IMO.

 

He SAID Billups in his third year. Billups sucked in his third year. Billups wasn't good til like his 7th year.

 

Well the comparison isn't that accurate then. My mistake