Start engraving the Eddie Gottlieb trophy! Lillard has been the leading rookie all season long, but has just completed his best 5-game stretch. After tonight's 35-point, 9-assist, 0-turnover gem, here's what Lillard has done the last five games: March 8, 35 PTS, 12-20 FG, 3 REB, 9 AST. EFF = 41.00 March 6, 20 PTS, 8-16 FG, 0 REB, 4 AST, EFF = 14.00 March 4, 20 PTS, 8-15 FG, 3 REB, 7 AST, EFF = 22.00 March 2, 24 PTS, 9-18 FG, 6 REB, 4 AST, EFF = 25.00 February 27, 26 PTS, 8-14 FG, 3 REB, 4 AST, EFF = 21.00 5 Game Averages: 25.0 PPG, .542 FG%, 3.0 RPG, 5.6 APG, EFF = 24.60 So much for the absurd notion that Anthony Davis, or anyone else, can possibly challenge Lilliard for ROY. So much for the absurd notion that Lillard has hit the rookie wall and is fading fast. The ROY race is OVER, Damian Lillard just lapped the entire field! BNM
Can I just say that we had to know he was special when, in his first official game, he literally broke Steve Nash's leg.
Honestly, I'd say 10 points a game. It's like we got Lillard a ninja doppelganger and smoke bomb set to draw defenders off of him.
Absolutely nothing, it was obvious Maynor was a bust after 2 games Actually, I think Maynor unleashed the Beast!
tonights game was awesome seeing Lillard go off like that. Also really enjoying Maynor so far, bench looks much better as of late since we got him
Well, Lillard isn't playing any fewer minutes since we acquired Maynor, but I do think he benefits, like everyone else, from playing alongside Maynor. He gets more easy looks when Maynor is initiating the offense, and that helps explain his higher FG%. Hard to believe first Utah, then OKC basically gave Maynor away to cut salary. Maynor was part of that incredible group of seven very productive PGs that were drafted AFTER Minnesota used their two high lottery picks on Bricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn in 2009. If he keeps playing the way he has been, we may also have to add Patrick Beverley to the list of better PGs taken after Rubio and Flynn. BNM
I think eventually his minutes might go down just a hair. But it can't be a coincidence that Lillard has gone off since Maynor joined the team, can it?
No, I don't think it is. Obviously, Lillard is thriving playing off the ball when Maynor is in the game. Stotts used to play Lillard alongside Price, but it's no surprise that he's more effective playing alongside Maynor. The addition of Maynor has made everyone he plays with better. It's like night and day comparing Maynor to Price and Nolan Smith. I still can't believe we got him for free. Talk about a gift. Thank you Sam Presti. Actually, thank you Clay Bennett and Aubrey McLendon for being such incredible cheapskates. I know OKC has a great record right now, but you can't keep giving away talent like James Harden and Eric Maynor and expect to keep improving/contending. BNM
I really wouldn't be surprised if Westbrook eventually left. He strikes me as the kind of player that craves the spotlight, and OKC won't be able to quench that thirst.
I can see an eventual conflict between Westbrook (wants to be Batman) and Durant (owns the keys to the Batmobile), especially if they don't go as far in the playoffs as they did last year. Westbrook has a very strong tendency to freeze Durant out in the 4th quarter of close playoff games. One or two disappointing post seasons could cause tensions to boil over. I'd love to see OKC implode as payback for their cheapskate, lying, hillbilly owners stealing the team from Seattle. BNM
Yeah, and Durant strikes me as too nice a guy to say anything about it right now, but if the team starts losing..... you're right..... it will boil over.
Don't forget Jeff Green. He's looking a lot better than Perkins right now. Damn, imagine trying to slow down a Durant/Westbrook/Harden/Green/Ibaka/Maynor lineup. Add Collison as your front court sub and you'd never have a lesser player than that group on the floor.
Absolutely not. The offensive setup is different, and Maynor's giving Lillard the opportunity to rest on the court a bit early in plays. I'd say 10 out of every 25 points he scores now are because of the room Maynor's presence has given him on the court.
