Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard defends his defense
Quick: Well, I hope you know I wasn’t questioning your effort ..
Lillard: I know you weren't. That’s why I’m saying, I wouldn’t tweet at you. Come on.
Strange that you only included that part of the interview. Here's the rest.
Quick: I couldn’t tell if you were tweeting at me, or the other guy, on Sunday.
Lillard: Nah. It was at him. What do you suggest? That’s what I’m saying to him. Sometimes the fans think they know, you know what I mean?
Quick: I hope you see where I was coming from.
Lillard: No, I understand. I understand. But for me, it’s like ... what ... what do I need to do? I’m out here going through 80 pick and rolls, 60 pick and rolls a game, using that same amount of pick and rolls. If you go to look at film -- and that’s why I say ‘are you looking at box scores or are you actually watching the game?’ -- if you look at film, I’m not just out here getting scored on. How many people iso me and break me down and score? Or is it pick and roll?
What happens when I play against another point guard and I have a good defensive game? I’ve had plenty good, really good defensive games ...
Quick: What do you consider some of your good defensive games?
Lillard: I’m not going to say that. Then it will turn into who it was against and all that. I’ve had plenty of good defensive games, because I watch film on my defense. And I’ve had plenty of them. But I don’t want credit for that. I take pride in that. But then it’s like, the easy thing for people to say is ‘on the defensive end Damain Lillard has to do this’ and I’ve played against every point guard in the league and I have averaged 21 points. I’ve scored 21, I’ve scored that on everybody pretty much. And that’s sometimes, even being a good defender you get scored on. People score 20 points.
Quick: Sure. This league is good.
Lillard: Exactly. So my thing is, I feel like I can improve on the defensive end. A second-year player, I’m still learning things. You know, it takes time. But for me, it’s starting to feel like that’s the easy thing to say. I can take criticism. If there’s somebody who can take it? (points at himself). Say what you want. I will try to prove you wrong before I get mad over some criticism. But at some point, it’s like, now I’m like it’s the easy thing for somebody to say ‘Damian Lillard defense.’ Of course, pick and rolls, let me see somebody come out here, chase people over pick and rolls, get screened, on offense you coming off pick and rolls, and play 35 minutes. Not that I’m going to wear down, or that I’m tired, but it’s tough. Every game, for a whole season. It’s tough for every point guard.
Quick: Is there a way you guys could play the pick-and-roll to make easier for you?
Lillard: It’s not the way we play it. It’s the fact that it’s so constant. The pick and roll is so predominant in our league now, it just makes our job as point guards harder.
Quick: That’s why everybody uses it; it’s a hard play to defend.
Lillard: Exactly. But then we all have nights when the best of us, or the worst of us, a guy can go out there and get 20 every night, especially with our position being the best position.
Quick: And in this league, probably more than any other, a guy gets labeled and it sticks. Especially early.
Lillard: I know. I know. But this is the thing: people need to see my improvement. Maybe people forgot how tough it was from last season until now. You don’t see people taking me to the block, because they know it’s not going to be that easy. You know it’s not going to be a mismatch.
Quick: What have you done to improve that makes it so people aren’t backing you down on the block?
Lillard: I think it’s just watching film. Holding my ground. Being more physical. Positioning. I position myself, so instead of letting them walk me to the block, fighting them right here for that position, and by the time they get there, they dont want to keep fighting with me. But I know I have improved on the defensive end. at some point it has to be not the easy thing for people to say.
I understand it, I completely understand it. But especially after a game like that, that was a big game, and somebody basically wants to question my effort? Come on man.
Quick: Well, I hope you know I wasn’t questioning your effort ..
Lillard: I know you weren't. That’s why I’m saying, I wouldn’t tweet at you. Come on
