Taking a look at Dame so far this season...

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Lillard's shots from 4-5 feet behind the 3-pt line look completely smooth. He has effortless range and great shooting mechanics. That, combined with the killer mentality means he's going to make those shots at crunch time when other guys are tired.

 

[dviss1]

Lillard's game is already ready for when the NBA moves the three point line out and widens the court to eliminate the corner three.

Scores are way up. This is never going to happen IMHO. Scores would go down if it did.

 

[Boise Blazer]

Mean Muggin'!!!

 

[BlazerCaravan]

So awesome

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Scores are way up. This is never going to happen IMHO. Scores would go down if it did.

Good point

 

[Natebishop3]

If you look at Dame and Curry in his second year, they're very similar. I can't wait to see Dame in the playoffs. That's where Curry established himself as a star.

 

[blue9]

If you look at Dame and Curry in his second year, they're very similar.

Only statistically speaking. Aside from both being great outside shooters, and playing the same position, they aren't very similar at all.

 

[BrianFromWA]

or both being non-"1-and-done"rs from small schools in garbage conferences who are much more effective as shooters than playmakers and have a flair for the dramatic...

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Just for context, here's Curry versus Lillard at age 23: http://bkref.com/pi/shareit/oulO6

 

[Natebishop3]

Just for context, here's Curry versus Lillard at age 23: http://bkref.com/pi/shareit/oulO6

It's amazing that Dame is a better three point shooter than Curry at this stage in his career.

 

[Strenuus]

Mean Muggin'!!!

Where's the deal with it?! This one is perfect for it!

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Where's the deal with it?! This one is perfect for it!

Dame is a living DEAL WITH IT meme.

 

[Sinobas]

The glaring hole in Damian's game is how he finishes at the rim. He has the ability to get there, and if he could just learn to either finish or draw more fouls it would elevate him to another level.

His passing is ok, he controls the ball and I don't see him making too many bad passes (Batum commits alot more silly turn overs), but he's not a playmaker either.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

The glaring hole in Damian's game is how he finishes at the rim. He has the ability to get there, and if he could just learn to either finish or draw more fouls it would elevate him to another level.

He is drawing more fouls than last year (and shoots a surprising number of free throws given his reputation for not getting to the line on drives), but I agree he can improve a bit more there. He's already shooting the most free throws per game on the team, though.

http://bkref.com/tiny/ZAEOd he's 18th in the league for makes per game; if he got one more call a game, he'd be 8th in the league in attempts (+2 attempts means 7.1 FTA), and 4th in the league in makes. So I don't think he's that far from getting "respect".

 

[BrianFromWA]

Damian gets 5.1 FTA a game. Last year Harden got 10.3. At 90% shooting, an extra 5FT /g for him means he's scoring 26ppg. That's pretty stellar.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Damian gets 5.1 FTA a game. Last year Harden got 10.3. At 90% shooting, an extra 5FT /g for him means he's scoring 26ppg. That's pretty stellar.

Lillard won't get that many calls. That's just obscene.

If he starts making shots at the rim consistently, though, then he can start flailing and getting calls because I think the refs are looking to see if the contact made the player miss (not how it's supposed to be but whatevs it's the NBA). Because Lillard shoots wildly up close looking for whistles, the refs don't bite. But if he had a better at the rim percentage, i bet he'd get way more respect on layup misses.

 

[maxiep]

Yeah. 6% down on his 2's is glaring! But, he does so many things on the court well that that one area can be fixed without it being a huge issue the whole time. In that I mean, such a focal point that it becomes a distraction and the "why isn't he producing at all?!?!" quotes aren't bombarding at all. It'll get fixed, for that I have no doubt.

I think it more has to do with the way teams are defending him. It seems as if he's getting fewer lay ups off of drives. They're collapsing on him, and he's making them pay by hitting his threes.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I think it more has to do with the way teams are defending him. It seems as if he's getting fewer lay ups off of drives. They're collapsing on him, and he's making them pay by hitting his threes.

I can't say I mind too much, since he hits 3's like they were 10 foot jumpers. If he passed more off the dribble drive, teams couldn't collapse on him when he gets by his man, and then he'd be unstoppable.

 

[maxiep]

Lillard plays like he's 30 already, and I expect he'll be able to do so until he's 37 as well.

Roy played like he was 30. The problem was his knees were like he was 37. Let's hope we have better luck with Dame.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Roy played like he was 30. The problem was his knees were like he was 37. Let's hope we have better luck with Dame.

Yeah that last season, he played like he was 40.

 

[Natebishop3]

The glaring hole in Damian's game is how he finishes at the rim. He has the ability to get there, and if he could just learn to either finish or draw more fouls it would elevate him to another level.

His passing is ok, he controls the ball and I don't see him making too many bad passes (Batum commits alot more silly turn overs), but he's not a playmaker either.

He had like five layups last night and a dunk. Plus, there was at least one or two times that he was clearly fouled on a drive with no call. The one at the end of the first half where he went to jam it and was pushed in the back is one example of that. He was pissed too, and yelled at Tony Brothers all the way into the tunnel.