SUMMARY
- Damian Lillard has been in the NBA for 12 seasons.
- While he was with the Blazers, he made 8 consecutive playoff runs.
Damian Lillard is possibly one of the top-five point guards in the league at the moment. The 33-year-old has proven that he can be an elite performer on the floor while exhibiting great potential offensively. The 8x NBA All-Star has always worn his heart on his sleeve while he steps on the floor to perform. Lillard could be considered as one of the most dedicated veteran stars.
The NBA star has always had great success during the regular season. However, it is a completely different story when his playoff games are taken into account. With such great capacity, one is led to believe that Lillard has had successful playoff runs. But that is not the case. On the contrary, Lillard was also extremely loyal to the situation he was put in with the Portland Trail Blazers. Unfortunately, his loyalty also hindered his chances of winning a title.
The Blazers drafted Dame 6th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. He only left the Blazers in 2023 and joined the Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately, Dame has never been to an NBA final, which he hopes will change with his new team. Damian is a major asset who helped the Bucks through incredibly dominant offensive performances.
Lillard is famous for his 3-point range and is a lethal shooter. Since coming to the league, he has won the Rookie of the Year and is a 7x NBA All-Star. He even won the 3-point contest in the NBA All-Star Weekend. But his ringless resume is what fans feel might crumble up his legacy.
Damian Lillard’s best post-season run came in 2019
Damian Lillard has played 61 games in the postseason for the Blazers. He led the team to 8 consecutive playoff runs after his rookie year. During this, he has racked up 25.7 points per game with 6.2 assists and 4.5 rebounds. His best playoff run (statistically) came during the 2021 NBA Playoffs. He averaged 34.3 points and 10.2 assists per game against the Denver Nuggets but the Blazers were eliminated in the first round.
The @trailblazers advance to the Western Conference Finals! #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/wiYzfT44aS
— NBA (@NBA) May 12, 2019
Despite Lillard’s best efforts for the Blazers, he has made it to just 1 Conference Finals. Lillard led the Blazers to the Western Conference Finals in 2019 against the Golden State Warriors. However, the Blazers were knocked out in a 4-game sweep. Lillard managed to put up 26.9 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Since their 2021 postseason run, the Blazers have struggled to make it to the playoffs. Unfortunately, Lillard is no longer on the team to help them. The Blazers are currently working with Anfernee Simons, Malcolm Brogdan, Jerami Grant, and Deandre Ayton, a roster with potential but no experience.
Damian Lillard pays no heed to his lack of championships or fans who criticize him
It is quite impressive how Damian Lillard chooses to uphold himself despite the lack of a championship ring. During an interview with Michael Scott of Hoopshype, Lillard expressed his thoughts on the possibility of never winning a championship.
He said, “A championship would mean a lot to me. But in my personal opinion, if I don’t win it, it’s not the end at all… I wouldn’t be happy with it, but I think when you talk about other people’s perceptions, I think it’s extremely important to my legacy. It’s extremely important to me, but my opinion of me not winning wouldn’t be the same as others.”
His pairing up with Giannis Antetokounmpo is possibly the best situation he has ever been a part of. The Bucks are currently one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. But they are still making a few changes in and around the team that will either make or break their chances of winning a title immediately.