Damian Lillard on a Tear

[Boob-No-More]

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

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Have we just seen The Great Dame bust clean through the rookie wall (thank you Maynor!)?

 

[THE HCP]

Wasn't somebody on here recently saying he wasn't deserving of the ROY award? Can't remember.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

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.

 

[illmatic99]

Jinx thread?

 

[Boob-No-More]

Jinx thread?

Only if KingSpeed is attending the next game...

BNM

 

[Natebishop3]

So how much of this can be attributed to Maynor?

 

[BlazerCaravan]

So how much of this can be attributed to Maynor?

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.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

So how much of this can be attributed to Maynor?

Absolutely nothing, it was obvious Maynor was a bust after 2 games

Actually, I think Maynor unleashed the Beast!

 

[illmatic99]

So realgm stats says Dame is up to 27.3 PER over the month of March.

 

[pinwheelempire]

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

 

[Boob-No-More]

So how much of this can be attributed to Maynor?

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

 

[Natebishop3]

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?

 

[Boob-No-More]

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

 

[Natebishop3]

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.

 

[Boob-No-More]

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

 

[Natebishop3]

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.

 

[ripmycity]

Rookie of da Year!!!

 

[handiman]

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.

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.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

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?

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.

 

[magnifier661]

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.

Good their ownership group needs to get worse and worse every year. Hopefully soon, they just become another clippers organization, willing to let big talent go, to save money.

I hope one day, Durant gets smart and demands a trade.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

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

I don't like to tell others how to spend their time, but.....
I think the game is Pinwheelempire-awesome-video-worthy.

especially with a buildup of how well the spurs are doing this season, and especially at home.

Edit: He had already posted a video. I need to check my pinwheelempire.com more often!

 

[illmatic99]

March stats: 24.3pts, 6.5asts, 1.7to, 2.5reb, 38mins, 53% fg, 46% 3pt, 89% ft

Wow.

Edit: PER -- 26.3, overall season PER up to 17.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

March stats: 24.3pts, 6.5asts, 1.7to, 2.7reb, 38mins, 53% fg, 46% 3pt, 89% ft

Wow.

The A/TO is very nice--3.82 would be good enough for 3rd in the league if carried over a full season.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

March stats: 24.3pts, 6.5asts, 1.7to, 2.5reb, 38mins, 53% fg, 46% 3pt, 89% ft

Wow.

Edit: PER -- 26.3, overall season PER up to 17.

Busted through the rookie wall like the Kool-Aid Man.

"Oh Yeah!"

 

[magnifier661]

Busted through the rookie wall like the Kool-Aid Man.

"Oh Yeah!"

Fucking post of the day!!!! Awesome!!!!

 

[mook]

At this point I think you give Batum and Wes around 25 mpg, play Maynor some more, and tell Lillard to go watch some old Allen Iverson tape.

It's time to start jacking up 25 shots a night. He'll probably still shoot over 40%, and he could finish out the season averaging 28-30 ppg. No time like the present to start contending for an All Star spot next year (and some superstar treatment from the refs).

I don't think it'll help us win any more games, but it'd be fun as hell and would definitely turn some heads in the league.

 

[Boise Blazer]

Well now that he back to averaging 19 pts/gm he is back in rare territory all time.

http://bkref.com/tiny/shCtx

 

[Boise Blazer]

I like this one too. No, scratch that, I LOVE this stat:

http://stats.nba.com/leaguePlayerClutch.html?sortField=PTS&sortOrder=DES

 

[Boise Blazer]

Another:

http://stats.nba.com/leaguePlayerShots.html?DistanceRange=By Zone&sortField=FGMZone5&sortOrder=DES