This team operates so much better when Lillard is the 'Man'

The past couple games when we have run the ball through Lillard more our offense has looked damn good.

Since he has been getting more looks his FG% has skyrocketed and our team just is getting a lot better spacing.

After a slow start to the season he is back to some really solid all-star numbers:

19.8 PPG 6.2 APG 5.2 RPG 1 SPG .456 FG% .439 3FG%

 

I will agree with this, but I think the combo of an aggressive Lillard and Aldridge is the unstoppable game plan.

And if you look at the real numbers, our bench is the real X factor. When their game is on, we can't be beat

 

I agree so much with an aggressive LA, we need to see him throw down some dunks more often... Get easy buckets that also start momentum.

The bench is a great point but at the end of the day if Dame and LA are on nothing can stop us. There isn't a duo in the NBA that can take over a game while keeping teammates involved like Dame/LA.

 

Agreed

 

LaMarcus needs to stick to posting up, hitting the boards, and making open jumpers. The Blazers offense really suffers when they start it off by giving it to LA posting up 18 feet away from the hoop. Everyone stands around and he throws up a brick.

 

I agree, we have at least 4-5 possessions a game where LA just posts from 15+ with about 14 on the shot clock and throws up an awkward jumper when Dame, Wes, Batum, etc. are wide open at the 3 point line.

 

LA should try to play more like Tim Duncan and less like Dirk Nowitski. Dirk is really the only big man guy in the league that makes a good living from the mid range game.

 

Dirk has never had 6 blocked shots in the first half of a game in his career

 

Yup, but that's all mentality. Dame has that superstar mentality. It's in his DNA.

 

but he's going to be a hall of famer and he has a ring. he wins.

 

He is a real superstar, not a fan/league made man like Harden or Kobe.

 

The NBA is working on it though. He's in a bunch of league commercials right now.

 

Ok, that was one half. LA has also never averaged more than 1.2 blocks per game (his high was his rookie year). Nowitski's high is 1.5. Anyway, that's not even the point. LA is more valuable as a poor man's Duncan than a poor man's Nowitski (which is what he's trying to be now).

 

Well he is likable on and off the court. He is clutch, funny and pretty open to fans (from what I've seen). Plus he isn't a complainer.

Basically Damian Lillard is like the "great white hope" of NBA superstars. He is literally the complete opposite of guys like Harden or Griffin.

 

Dame will become the #1 pt guard in the modern game given a little time. He's already a superstar for all the reasons you guys mentioned. Camera friendly, good interview, humble but confident. He's got all the tools and a will to win. Also a really, really top notch agent

 

We really underrate the value that Nic brings sometimes. Not having Dame create so much of the offense is crucial to relieving defensive pressure.

But after that shaky start, I see some serious fire in his attack this year. You can't guard him with one guy.

 

I think that Lillard tries really hard to get his teammates involved early in the game and I get and commend him for that but I also believe there are clearly games where he needs to be more aggressive early and that by doing so he could be just as effective and helpful for the team by opening up his teammates later in the game.

 

Dame has improved so much at getting to the rim and finishing. That is one area that he is markedly better than he was in his rookie season. He's still an assassin from deep, but he has definitely added to his game.

 

Absolutely agree and that immediately makes me think that if he could get that Tony Parker floater down pat he would be damn near unstoppable.