Lillard's invisible performance

[oldfisherman]

 

[Orion Bailey]

Then what the hell is mine? I see both sides?! :MARIS61:

Of your butt? How is that possible without mirrors?

 

[Binx]

We've seen two years in a row that Lillard has major problems against elite defensive PGs. Yes, he has improved since Memphis at finding ways to contribute, but he needs to figure out how to maintain his scoring and shooting efficiency in the face of that kind of pressure. He isn't the first star to be the focus of the other team's defense.

Exactly. You've got to find a way to beat the defense. If they come at you hard, you go around them hard. If they trap you, you split the trap. Great players step up to the moment, they don't wilt.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Exactly. You've got to find a way to beat the defense. If they come at you hard, you go around them hard. If they trap you, you split the trap. Great players step up to the moment, they don't wilt.

Dame is wilting?

Ahh nevermind... not worth it..

 

[Strenuus]

Find me one NBA player... hell find me one forum poster... Shit find me one HUMAN BEING that NEVER makes a bad decision. Ill start a thread about them!!!!

Nobody is perfect. Everyone has highs and lows. But when a person is mostly high, Why do some feel the need to kick when they are on a low?

Kick him while he is down, even though he is rarely down... great fandom! Its not a circle jerk to not care for this....Its realizing that we are all humans and accepting that nobody is perfect.

Why people just cant be happy with having one of the best Leaders in the NBA on this team...

But, they are in a profession where scrutiny and criticism are part of the game... fair or not, they are a notch above "receptionist at local law firm".

They are on a public pedestal, so they are critiqued, just like politicians. So, to ignore the bad just for the good is not having a fair look at someone.

My mistakes and my flaws are what made me who I am today, and I reckon with Dame the way he is, will build and grow as well. He's just doing it in a much more public light.

 

[Natebishop3]

Exactly. You've got to find a way to beat the defense. If they come at you hard, you go around them hard. If they trap you, you split the trap. Great players step up to the moment, they don't wilt.

We ARE beating their defense. We have won the last two games. Dame hitting shots is not necessarily the only way to "beat the defense."

When he finds Plumlee and Plumlee finds Aminu or Harkless, that's beating their defense.

 

[Binx]

Dame is my favorite NBA player, but sometimes the decisions he makes out there are suspect for an all-star; and yes he did play like garbage last night, but yes he is the reason why we are here.

There is no shame in having a conversation about it. So chill out folks.

This.

 

[B-Roy]

Either way, I would argue that CJ and Dame floundering is helping the team because they're learning how to win without relying on these two guys. If this was in January you know this team would just fall apart if Lillard and CJ aren't playing well. Not anymore.

 

[Strenuus]

Exactly. You've got to find a way to beat the defense. If they come at you hard, you go around them hard. If they trap you, you split the trap. Great players step up to the moment, they don't wilt.

That's a strong word to use when he' done a lot of other things to help the team.

Care to quote people opposing you, or...

 

[Strenuus]

Either way, I would argue that CJ and Dame floundering is helping the team because they're learning how to win without relying on these two guys. If this was in January you know this team would just fall apart if Lillard and CJ aren't playing well. Not anymore.

Good point.

 

[Strenuus]

We ARE beating their defense. We have won the last two games. Dame hitting shots is not necessarily the only way to "beat the defense."

When he finds Plumlee and Plumlee finds Aminu or Harkless, that's beating their defense.

Don't you know? He must never pass out of the Double team. That's literally what his post is saying. (Go around, or go through, but never pass!)

Lol that's ludicrous.

 

[Strenuus]

I agree with some parts of both sides,

But to say to never pass out of a double team. That's just asinine, and would lead to more turnovers, and more bad decisions. The bad decisions that some are harping on him already for.

 

[B-Roy]

We ARE beating their defense. We have won the last two games. Dame hitting shots is not necessarily the only way to "beat the defense."

When he finds Plumlee and Plumlee finds Aminu or Harkless, that's beating their defense.

Yep. After game 1 and 2 I kept arguing that other guys have to make the Clippers pay for committing so hard to Dame and CJ, that's the only way we're going to win. Mason and Aminu are finally doing that. Aminu in particular was bound to start shooting better. You don't go from 36% on the year to completely incompetent in a matter of days, especially with the looks he's getting.

 

[Natebishop3]

Don't you know? He must never pass out of the Double team. That's literally what his post is saying. (Go around, or go through, but never pass!)

Lol that's ludicrous.

He tried that too. In game one he tried to split the double, but 4 or 5 times he got slapped and bumped and tripped and he lost the ball. It went horribly. The smart thing is to get rid of the ball to Plumlee or CJ and let them find the open man.

So far Dame has had one decent game (game one), one really really good game (game three), one horrible game (game two,) and one "meh" game (game four.)

I expect him to come out strong tomorrow.

 

[Webster's Dictionary]

Lillard's invisible performance

Only invisible to those who just look at his stats and mistakes.

 

[Strenuus]

He tried that too. In game one he tried to split the double, but 4 or 5 times he got slapped and bumped and tripped and he lost the ball. It went horribly. The smart thing is to get rid of the ball to Plumlee or CJ and let them find the open man.

So far Dame has had one decent game (game one), one really really good game (game three), one horrible game (game two,) and one "meh" game (game four.)

I expect him to come out strong tomorrow.

Exactly, and the OP said that was the only two ways to do it apparently. That lost a lot of credibility for me.

If they come at you hard, you go around them hard. If they trap you, you split the trap

 

[riverman]

Dame was very vocal last night...we won the right way and made the Clips pay...credit where credit is due...invisible is the wrong word to describe Damian in the win and I don't care how you slice it...this is sort of digging for dirt after a gritty team equalizing win at home...not my idea of a good time.

 

[Natebishop3]

Exactly, and the OP said that was the only two ways to do it apparently. That lost a lot of credibility for me.

Yup, not everyone is Westbrook. That dude can just impose his will when he drives. I think he's going to struggle mightily when his athleticism fades. Dame is quick, but he's not as quick as Westbrook or even Paul.

 

[Strenuus]

Yup, not everyone is Westbrook. That dude can just impose his will when he drives. I think he's going to struggle mightily when his athleticism fades. Dame is quick, but he's not as quick as Westbrook or even Paul.

Exactly... dame is more cerebral...

 

[handiman]

The smart move isn't to try to overcome their defense by scoring, the smart move is to continue to do what we're doing. Pass the ball, find the wide open man, and hurt the Clips for their silly infatuation with stopping Dame.

Their infatuation is hardly silly. To borrow your phrase, it's the smart move. Memphis destroyed us last year, in large part to shutting Lillard down. LAC was headed that direction the first two games, but fortunately things swung in our favor game 3. Before Memphis, we were worried about Houston doing likewise, but Beverly was injured and hobbling in the playoffs, so we got off easy.

Also, I mentioned both scoring and shooting efficiency. You can't sacrifice both in the name of taking what the defense gives you. Give up the ball to the open man, fine, but continue making the shots when they're there.

 

[Natebishop3]

Their infatuation is hardly silly. To borrow your phrase, it's the smart move. Memphis destroyed us last year, in large part to shutting Lillard down. LAC was headed that direction the first two games, but fortunately things swung in our favor game 3. Before Memphis, we were worried about Houston doing likewise, but Beverly was injured and hobbling in the playoffs, so we got off easy.

Also, I mentioned both scoring and shooting efficiency. You can't sacrifice both in the name of taking what the defense gives you. Give up the ball to the open man, fine, but continue making the shots when they're there.

And you're making this into too big of a deal.

He shot 4-15 last night. Two of those were blocked shots. At least another two were layups that he missed because he was worried about Jordan. They were wide open too. He just missed at the rim. Those are high efficiency shots, he just missed.

He went 2-8 from three. Were all 6 of those missed threes ill advised? Were 4 of them?

 

[stampedehero]

Now, without Paul (broken hand

I don't agree at all. Lillard played a very good game the way i see it. I guess i just see different things. His passing led to other players playing well. His defense was very solid. His decision making was contagious. The team is growing and playing tougher than it has in years.
Sorry. But i do not see a player...I see a leader here.

Underdog!!!

 

[stampedehero]

Paul gets hurt. Dame should crucify his opposition and enforce personal revenge. Paul may be a prick but he's a damn good prick.

 

[H.C.]

This is no excuse.

In the past two playoffs one could argue that he's faced the best two defensive point guards in the league.
Mike Conley is an amazing defender and does it without fouling. With Gasol/Allen also there you really start to have issues scoring. This man is super underrated.
CP3 for all the things he does that makes you hate him, he's still an amazing defender. He works defensively not just when he's on the ball, but he also works to keep you from getting the ball. & he has DJ backing him up...
There is a reason why Lillard keeps going backdoor in this series for layups. They don't want him to touch the ball.
We all saw what he did vs an overrated defensive pg in Beverly... You know the "Lillard stopper"

Can Lillard be better? Yes.
BUT
At the end of the day I want a leader of my fav team to make the high bbiq play. For the majority of the time he does that, and he's won games for us by taking what the defense gives him. Just like he did last night. People underestimate how difficult the pass is when you get trapped on a pick and roll. It's NOT an easy pass. Anytime he makes it people should be saying "wow nice pass".

 

[handiman]

And you're making this into too big of a deal.

He shot 4-15 last night. Two of those were blocked shots. At least another two were layups that he missed because he was worried about Jordan. They were wide open too. He just missed at the rim. Those are high efficiency shots, he just missed.

He went 2-8 from three. Were all 6 of those missed threes ill advised? Were 4 of them?

I said nothing about ill-advised shots. You're confusing me with someone else.

He needs to try something different instead of trying to out-reach Jordan at the rim. Stop on a dime and make him run into you... The greats find a way to adjust their game to the defense and maintain fairly normal levels of production.

We all saw what he did vs an overrated defensive pg in Beverly... You know the "Lillard stopper"

You mean the hobbled Beverly that barely looked like he belonged on the floor? He gave Lillard all sorts of trouble before the injury.

 

[KingSpeed]

Ummmm when Aminu scores 30 and Crabbe goes 5/5, that is because of the attention Dame commands. Dame played great last night. He was calm when trapped. He got the ball to Plumlee. He found Crabbe and Aminu in rhythm. Anyone who thinks Dame played badly last night wasn't paying attention.

 

[KingSpeed]

Not to mention Dame hit the open dagger three to put us up 12.

 

[KingSpeed]

If Dame doesn't take shots at all, they will say he's not trying hard enough to get open, or whatever.

Dame had his WORST night, and the team still won. Why can't we just celebrate that? Dame will be fine. You guys act like he's some fragile person that has no BBIQ or leadership skills...

Dame is a huge reason we're in the playoffs... stop bagging on him.

Dame didn't have a bad night at all. Learn the game, then post.

 

[KingSpeed]

cj and plumlee saved us

How do you think Plumlee gets the ball to make those 10 assists? It's because Dame is being trapped by Jordan and Paul.

 

[KingSpeed]

We ARE beating their defense. We have won the last two games. Dame hitting shots is not necessarily the only way to "beat the defense."

When he finds Plumlee and Plumlee finds Aminu or Harkless, that's beating their defense.

Exactly.