Thus endeth the debate

[Natebishop3]

Any time you're the only player to do something, it's worth hyping. And that's what Lillard did this week, becoming the only player in NBA history to score 900-plus points and make 100-plus three-pointers in his first 50 career games. He also became the first player since LeBron James to tally 1,000 points and 300 assists in his first 55 career contests. Which makes it no surprise he took home his fourth straight Player of the Month honor, becoming the first player in Blazers history to do so.

http://www.nba.com/rookie-ladder/

Case closed. The hardware is his.

 

[Blazinaway]

what debate?

 

[HailBlazers]

what debate?

The most exciting rookie since Lebron James

 

[julius]

He's just a stat whore!!

/sarcasm

on a serious note, those are impressive stats/numbers. However, you can tweak #'s sometimes to look better than they are, although I'm not sure that is the case here.

He does have work to do on his game, no doubt, but he's sure having a really strong rookie year. Maybe other players will end up being better than he is (Barnes, Davis, Beal, for example, maybe even K-Gillgrist), but right now he's putting up the best #'s of all of them.

Maybe he's not as showy or highlight worthy, but neither was Brandon Roy. But Brandon Roy still was the best player of his class.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I wonder what would of happened if we moved up in last year's draft. Who would we have taken? For our needs, we got the best possible player. Not that the others will not eventually be good as well. But in today's NBA you have to have a scoring PG. Can't pass on one when they are available.

Westbrook, Irving, Rose, Wall, Lillard, Parker, Curry, DWill (Before he got out of shape) Lawson

Cp3 is kind of the rare exception. Although like Stockton before him, he scores when the game is on the line.

 

[Blazinaway]

The most exciting rookie since Lebron James

I thought he was referring ROY debate of which there is none, unless someone wants to make it up

 

[crandc]

Is there a rookie of the month in April? I don't remember - it's a short month in the NBA. Just wondering how many more ROM's Dame needs to run the table.

BTW, I've heard the Kings, who drafted no. 5, are really unhappy with Thomas Robinson and kicking themselves for passing on Damian. So nice to see someone else saying "why didn't we draft X?"

 

[Pinwheel1]

BTW, I've heard the Kings, who drafted no. 5, are really unhappy with Thomas Robinson and kicking themselves for passing on Damian. So nice to see someone else saying "why didn't we draft X?"

I assumed that since they have already traded him. What was the knock on him? Any ideas?

 

[Wizard Mentor]

It's amazing his stats are so good considering that when I watch him play I think he's too unselfish.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I assumed that since they have already traded him. What was the knock on him? Any ideas?

The maloofs dumped him because it saved them a million bucks. I think he got drafted into a terrible situation and I wouldn't be shocked if he rebounds into a nice player down the line.

 

[jlprk]

Lillard preplanned this years ago when he made Ronnie Price his buddy. He knew that his Rookie of the Year day would come when he would ask Olshey last summer, "What can you do for my journeyman friend?"

 

[Natebishop3]

It has been pretty obvious for a while that the ROY race was over, but a few people have posted things like "but Anthony Davis blah blah blah"....

I'm just saying, I'm pretty sure the race is over.

 

[illmatic99]

Disregarding their injury history, would you take rookie Roy over rookie Dame?

 

[Blazinaway]

It has been pretty obvious for a while that the ROY race was over, but a few people have posted things like "but Anthony Davis blah blah blah"....

I'm just saying, I'm pretty sure the race is over.

I am sayin IT IS AND HAS BEEN OVER for a while now, but if ya wanna yack more about it have at it

 

[illmatic99]

These are Roy's numbers in Jan, Feb, March, and April of 2007. This was after he returned from his talus bone thing.

Jan: 16 games, 35mpg, 45% FG, 38% 3pt, 4.8rebs, 3.4asts, 16.6pts
Feb: 11 games, 38mpg, 45% FG, 39% 3pt, 3.4rebs, 4.9asts, 17.2pts
Mar: 14 games, 38mpg, 47% FG, 40% 3pt, 5.4rebs, 4.8asts, 18.4pts
Apr: 5 games, 36mpg, 53% FG, 57% 3pt, 4.4 rebs, 4.2asts, 21.2pts

Overall: 57games, 35mpg, 46% FG, 38% 3pt, 4.4rebs, 4.0asts, 16.8pts

 

[Boob-No-More]

The maloofs dumped him because it saved them a million bucks. I think he got drafted into a terrible situation and I wouldn't be shocked if he rebounds into a nice player down the line.

The Kings sure do have an uncanny knack for acquiring power forwards they can't/don't use and then giving up on them after less than a full season.

BNM

 

[Pinwheel1]

Disregarding their injury history, would you take rookie Roy over rookie Dame?

That is a good question. Disregarding their injury history i think i would take Dame over Roy and Oden.
The reason for me is how the game has evolved. I firmly believe that a PG like Damian has a bigger impact on the game than any other position. A injury free Roy would have been awesome. I loved Roy's game. But a really good scoring PG is really tough to stop if he has great handles and quickness. (And he can shoot)

 

[mook]

Disregarding their injury history, would you take rookie Roy over rookie Dame?

Very tough call. On one hand, it is a league dominated by PG's like Lillard. On the other, there are so few good shooting guards anymore that if you have one it's a really handy asset. It forces opponents to play differently.

In the end, I was really, really tired of crummy point guard play. Other than a year and a half of Miller, you have to go back to the 1990's to find a decent Blazer PG. Bonzi and Smith (and for a short time there DA) were good SG's so the longing for me wasn't as strong. After such a long drought I think I just enjoy watching Lillard play more than I ever did watching Roy.

 

[illmatic99]

That makes sense. But Roy's efficiency and finishing ability would put him over Dame for me. Either way, both were clearly the RsOY over their counterparts. Let's hope that the NO announcer doesn't pull a Swirsky.

 

[Natebishop3]

It's awfully early to tell, but right now I might actually take Dame over Roy.

The biggest thing for me is that Dame can play off the ball when he wants to, or it's necessary. Roy never could do that. He had to have the ball in his hands.

 

[mook]

The biggest thing for me is that Dame can play off the ball when he wants to, or it's necessary. Roy never could do that. He had to have the ball in his hands.

Very good point. Lillard definitely makes your lineup more versatile.

Also, there's not only the issue of competence, but incompetence. If you have an incompetent SG, it kind of sucks. Spacing can be off because he can't shoot, your perimeter defense might be more porous, maybe he doesn't do a great job of attacking driving lanes. It sucks, but your team can live with it.

It's very, very hard for a team to function with an incompetent point guard. You can't set up basic plays in a timely manner, spacing sucks, fast breaks suck, sometimes it's a struggle to just get it over the half court line, you may get lit up by all the great PG's in the league right now.

If you have Lillard, you are basically insuring yourself against incompetent PG play. That means quite a lot.

 

[Natebishop3]

Very good point. Lillard definitely makes your lineup more versatile.

Also, there's not only the issue of competence, but incompetence. If you have an incompetent SG, it kind of sucks. Spacing can be off because he can't shoot, your perimeter defense might be more porous, maybe he doesn't do a great job of attacking driving lanes. It sucks, but your team can live with it.

It's very, very hard for a team to function with an incompetent point guard. You can't set up basic plays in a timely manner, spacing sucks, fast breaks suck, sometimes it's a struggle to just get it over the half court line, you may get lit up by all the great PG's in the league right now.

If you have Lillard, you are basically insuring yourself against incompetent PG play. That means quite a lot.

In a way it's much like having a good or a bad quarterback.

If you have a really good QB, you can get by with okay receivers.

If you have a shit QB, it really doesn't matter how good your receivers are.

 

[Boise Blazer]

Why cant I have both Roy and Lillard?!?!?!?!?! IT"S NOT FAIR!!!! Ok, im done with my hissy fit. For reason mentioned above I think Dame has the ability to have a bigger impact on the overall game and I would pick him as well but Im ok with having Roy fall to me with the 2nd pick.

 

[Natebishop3]

The other thing is, I remember there was rumors that Roy didn't want to play with a ball dominant point guard like Chris Paul. I don't get the feeling that Dame would care if we acquired a shooting guard that needed the ball. I think he'd find a way to adapt and flourish.

 

[BBert]

Re Lillard v. Roy: It depends on your other personnel. Ignoring that factor: I take Lillard for the reasons previously stated.

 

[Natebishop3]

Of course, Nate McMillan would have turned Lillard into Steve Blake 2.0

"Get in the corner and wait for the ball."

 

[BBert]

Of course, Nate McMillan would have turned Lillard into Steve Blake 2.0

"Get in the corner and wait for the ball."

I hate to beat that horse, but I honesty believe Nate would have ruined Lillard, one way or another.

 

[magnifier661]

I absolutely love Roy. Still my all time favorite player. But knowing what I know now; Portland could never have a pg worth a shit with Roy. He just needs the ball in his hand at all times. The biggest difference between the two is Lillard can run in multiple offensive sets and Roy is all about the iso.

Individually, Roy was way more efficient and clutch. But the rest of the team just didn't flow well unless Roy was running it.

 

[Natebishop3]

I hate to beat that horse, but I honesty believe Nate would have ruined Lillard, one way or another.

Look what he did to Batum, and you have your prime example that he would have most likely done the same thing. Amazing how Nic is suddenly getting trip dubs and scoring in a number of ways since Nate is gone.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Compare the teams around each during their rookie years:

Other guard: Matthews v Jarrett Jack
Small forward: Batum v Ime Udoka
Power forward: Aldridge v Zach Randolph
Center: Hickson v Magloire/Przybilla

Seems to me that Lillard has had better players up and down the (starting) lineup than Roy did during his rookie year. Make of that what you will.