Nov 12, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Trail Blazers won 130-113. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Lillard has almost single-handedly pulled the Trail Blazers from the brink of disaster on multiple occasions, salvaging games that the team had little chance of winning. His late-game heroism has earned him national attention and become a staple of Trail Blazers basketball. He is the biggest part of why Portland leads the league in wins when trailing after three quarters. He is the comeback kid.

From a statistical standpoint, almost all of his numbers are up from last season. He averages 22.1 points per game (previously 20.7), 6.2 assists per game (previously 5.6), 4.7 rebounds per game (previously 3.5), 1.3 steals per game (previously 0.8), and has boosted his field goal percentage from 42.4 to a more robust 45.2.

Most importantly, but least measurably by the numbers, his defense is vastly improved. It was his biggest weakness in years past. No longer. Lillard has gotten much better at circumventing high screens in the pick-and-roll and staying in front of his man in more isolated situations. He may not yet be considered an asset in this regard, but he is far from a liability.

At this moment, exactly 41 games through the Trail Blazers’ season, Lillard is ranked fourth on the NBA’s Most Valuable Player ladder, behind Jeff Teague of the Atlanta Hawks and ahead of Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies. This has been Lillard’s best basketball yet and it is almost frightening that the best is yet to come.