Lillard's tier

[THE HCP]

Please permit me to associate myself almost fully with BNM's post above. And...scene.

You can’t steal his post FAMS!

 

[THE HCP]

Last year's MVP. He won't win it this year. Not even close.

Oscar did win an NBA championship, near the end of his career when he was second fiddle to Kareem in MIL.

And no, I didn't hint that they failed in the playoffs BECAUSE they averaged triple doubles. My point was that triple doubles are over rated, because no matter how many triple doubles someone has during the regular season, it doesn't guarantee team success in the playoffs.

Think about that for a minute. Basketball is still a team sport. A team that relies too much on one player doesn't usually fair well in the playoffs. It's much easier to game plan for one player than an entire team.

My current rank:

Tier 1:
Curry
Lillard
Irving
Westbrook

I consider Lillard and Irving a virtual tie. Their individual stats are about as close at they can be. Some will give Irving the nod based on team record, but he also has better teammates than Lillard. So, I call that one a tie.

Tier 2:
Chris Paul
John Wall
Kyle Lowry
Kemba Walker

That's based on their current level of play. Right now, today, I think Steph Curry is the only PG in the world that is better than Damian Lillard. Kyrie Irving is on the same level, but given Dame's leadership and his loyalty to the team and the city of Portland, I'd take him over Irving 100 out of 100 times.

BNM

All you stats and common sense will never change my opinion of him. Sorry.

 

[BrianFromWA]

You can’t steal his post FAMS!

Mine would've been a tl;dr not nearly as succinct. This way I can save the time I would've wasted and instead write serious posts, like describing what ESPN thinks of WW reporters and my hope that we don't have to use the term "finger-banging an octogenarian Supreme Court justice" anytime soon.

 

[BrianFromWA]

All you stats and common sense will never change my opinion of him. Sorry.

Seems like it goes back a bit to a question not a lot of folks would answer in the LMA days....

If he averaged 40ppg on 40 shot attempts, would you say he's one of the greatest scorers ever? Better than MJ? Or would you look at the stats and say, "Sure, if you chuck enough and play poor team basketball you can ramp up individual stats, but your team isn't winning anything with half their shots coming at a 1 pt/shot clip.""?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Low ry doesn't have better TS%, and gets 0.2 APG more than Dame. Youre stretching.

They are similar. How is that stretching

 

[Mediocre Man]

Currys and Lillards numbers are just as similar.

Ive already realized my mistake and corrected it

 

[BonesJones]

All you stats and common sense will never change my opinion of him. Sorry.

He definitelly has some traits that one can value. Competitiveness and edge are something I respect about him. Triple doubles are just extremely overrated. What if 12 was our first two-digit number? What if it was 15? A stat that's subjected to the structure of our number system isn't likely a stat to put much weight in.

 

[BonesJones]

With the Westbrook vs. Dame argument.. it comes down to winning.

Is Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Steven Adams, and others a better supporting cast than C.J. McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic, Shabazz Napier, Ed Davis and company?

I'd say they're probably even. So why is Portland winning more and 3-0 against OKC? Because Dame's been better. That's the only explanation. Whether it's a better leader or some other intangible, he's still better.

 

[Mediocre Man]

With the Westbrook vs. Dame argument.. it comes down to winning.

Is Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Steven Adams, and others a better supporting cast than C.J. McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic, Shabazz Napier, Ed Davis and company?

I'd say they're probably even. So why is Portland winning more and 3-0 against OKC? Because Dame's been better. That's the only explanation. Whether it's a better leader or some other intangible, he's still better.

Familiarity
Melo
Bench

 

[H.C.]

Since Aldridge/Matthews/Batum/Rolo left.
Portland is a 8-3 against OKC.
Westbrick puts up numbers I'm not sure many guards could match.
But all too often those numbers don't equate to wins.
It's not hating on Westbrick to say that. It's not, not giving him the respect he deserves.
There are maybe three other players in the league who could average a triple double in the NBA.
But is averaging a triple double whats best for the team?

 

[e_blazer]

We can play this game until the cows come home and not come to any agreement about Dame’s spot in the PG pecking order. I submit the following:

1. Dame is certainly in the top half dozen guys who play PG in the NBA.

2. All of those guys are damned good and who is the best on any given night can vary from fame to game.

3. At this, the most important part of the season, Dame is playing lights out. Arguably, he and Anthony Davis are playing the best ball of anybody in the league.

4. Dame wants to be here and he’s OURS. Screw the other PGs on this list. He’s on a tier of his own as far as I am concerned.

 

[BrianFromWA]

We can play this game until the cows come home and not come to any agreement about Dame’s spot in the PG pecking order. I submit the following:

1. Dame is certainly in the top half dozen guys who play PG in the NBA.

2. All of those guys are damned good and who is the best on any given night can vary from fame to game.

3. At this, the most important part of the season, Dame is playing lights out. Arguably, he and Anthony Davis are playing the best ball of anybody in the league.

4. Dame wants to be here and he’s OURS. Screw the other PGs on this list. He’s on a tier of his own as far as I am concerned.

 

[andalusian]

He definitelly has some traits that one can value. Competitiveness and edge are something I respect about him. Triple doubles are just extremely overrated. What if 12 was our first two-digit number? What if it was 15? A stat that's subjected to the structure of our number system isn't likely a stat to put much weight in.

Using the binary code I give this post 10 thumbs up.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Using the binary code I give this post 10 thumbs up.

I give it 10 thumbs up, 10 likes and 10 rep points.

And there you have it, another meaningless triple double.

BNM

 

[Portland2014]

Last 12 games:
39% FG%
28% 3FG%

 

[BonesJones]

Last 12 games:
39% FG%
28% 3FG%

Oh look, your back and just as negative as ever.

 

[kjironman1]

Last 12 games:
39% FG%
28% 3FG%

Record in those games? Please refer only to those he was not injured in or absent from for the birth of his kid.

 

[Strenuus]

Last 12 games:
39% FG%
28% 3FG%

Last 12 games:

A really good chance at a 3 seed for the team
Player of the week
Proved you wrong

 

[Mediocre Man]

Threads like this are useless. If someone says anything but tier 1 or MAYBE tier 2, they'll be labeled a troll

 

[Driew]

Last 12 games:
39% FG%
28% 3FG%

I am curious to see dames averages since his kid was born. Sure he's getting less sleep at home right now haha

 

[HailBlazers]

Threads like this are useless. If someone says anything but tier 1 or MAYBE tier 2, they'll be labeled a troll

If the shoe fits...(OP)

 

[kjironman1]

Interesting the way the flow has gone on this thread.
It was started in October so it stands to reason. Blazers in general have performed well and it seems Lillard's play has improved on both ends of the court. I still think he can and will get better. His free throw shooting is obviously off the charts and the defensive side doesn't seem to be hurting the team. This goes for CJ as well. Nurk could be a factor.
As has been pointed out. This is a team game. Players on good teams seem to play better all around ball. Lillard is no exception. The Blazers are sitting with the 5th best team record overall and Lillard has been a huge part of that. Not just numbers but leadership.
Right now i would say he is top 5 out there. Some days he is unstoppable. Others he stinks it up. Seems like this year the trend is towards better than worse. Meaning he stinks it up less than many others.......

 

[Mediocre Man]

If the shoe fits...(OP)

Seemed like a genuine question

 

[HailBlazers]

Seemed like a genuine question

Sure. But the truth came out when he bumped this thread.

 

[julius]

Threads like this are useless. If someone says anything but tier 1 or MAYBE tier 2, they'll be labeled a troll

or if from Feb 8th thru March 21st there was ZERO posts from this poster , and only returns after a bad loss, I wonder why they'd be labeled a troll.

Hm, hey I wonder what happened during that stretch? Oh yeah, that's right. The team won 13 in a row, and magically the poster returned after the loss to Houston and now that the team has had a .500 record their last 8 games...

We may have been born at night, but we weren't born last night.

 

[CupWizier]

Paul DOMINATES Lillard since Dame entered the league and you put Lillard over him......

and Lillard dominates Westbrook.

 

[CupWizier]

or if from Feb 8th thru March 21st there was ZERO posts from this poster , and only returns after a bad loss, I wonder why they'd be labeled a troll.

Hm, hey I wonder what happened during that stretch? Oh yeah, that's right. The team won 13 in a row, and magically the poster returned after the loss to Houston and now that the team has had a .500 record their last 8 games...

We may have been born at night, but we weren't born last night.

Amazing what happens after losses. Wonder why people like that come to a Blazer "fan" forum.

 

[julius]

Amazing what happens after losses. Wonder why people like that come to a Blazer "fan" forum.

an insatiable need to be correct about something?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

an insatiable need to be correct about something?

Some of us are correct about so little, we have to take whatever we can get.

 

[CupWizier]

an insatiable need to be correct about something?

We had many of the same types at Olive as it was always amazing all the new monikers that showed up after losses and the silence of those same people when the team won.