Damian Lillard Has Been The Best Point Guard In The NBA Playoffs

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Becoming elite is one thing but being the absolute best is another and for Damian Lillard he may just be the best point guard of theses NBA playoffs. The kid from Weber State has been sensational in his very first outing in the NBA Playoffs versus the Houston Rockets. To validate just how amazing the last seasons rookie of the year has been consider the following statistic. Damian Lillard is the first player with 125+ points, 35+ assists in his first 5 career playoff games since Tim Hardaway from April 25th-May 5th 1991 per Portland Trailblazers PR Department.

He solidified himself as an all-star this season making his first all-star team Lillard has had a tough assignment all series in defensive specialist Patrick Beverley but has pretty much had his way with not only him but any other player Houston decides to throw at him. He’s been shooting lights out from the 3-point line at 45.9%, that s Stephen Curry level. In fact that’s better than Stephen Curry by 8% in the playoffs as Curry is shooting a humanly 38%. Lillard has been blazing hot this entire series averaging 25.6 points, 7.4 assists, 6.4 rebounds. If you don’t know Lillards current rebound total of 6.4 is about 3 more than his average during the regular season. The playoffs are all about elevating your level of play and that’s what the superstar players in this league do.

Back at USA camp last summer I vividly remember hearing Lillard speak about things he wanted to accomplish in his career such as win MVP, an NBA championship, be the best player in the league and stuff like that. To think that way is one thing but to publicly say that with conviction in your words and belief in your heart is another. In my opinion Lillard is a top 3 guard in league right now and as it pertains to the NBA Playoffs he is the best floor general in the league now and the numbers don’t lie.

His 25.6 points per game is tops among all point guards in the playoffs and 5th among all players in the league. He currently only sits behind LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard and teammate Lamarcus Aldridge in scoring. He is also ranked 2nd in rebounds among all starting point guards with 6.4 rebounds sitting only behind Russell Westbrook who averages 9.7. He is dominating the game and proving to the world that he is a star in this league. The Blazers have a chance to closeout the Rockets in game 6 tonight in Portland and move onto the next round.