Portland Trail Blazers: 6 Things We've Learned This Season

6 Things We’ve Learned About The Portland Trail Blazers

Feb 23, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guards C.J. McCollum (3) and Damian Lillard (0) celebrate after Lillard was fouled late in the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. The Blazers won 112-104. Mandatory Credit: Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

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Feb 10, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after making a three point basket against the Houston Rockets during the second quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

Damian Lillard is AWESOME

I wrote recently about how Dame’s last five games have been other-worldly, and his season as a whole has been nothing short of spectacular. Indeed, without Lillard’s contributions, this Blazer story is a much different tale.

Lillard has been more valuable to his team this season than almost anybody on any other team, save of course the great Steph Curry. His PER is 12th-best in the NBA at 23.07, fourth-best among point guards, and among those 12 players is the only one to not have a teammate in the top 50 in PER league wide.

It’s absolutely fair to say that he’s put the Blazers on his back and carried them so far this season, particularly in the past six weeks. In the past 18 games in which they’ve gone 15-3, Lillard is averaging 26 points per game on shooting splits of .457/.388/.830, adding 3.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists.

Over the course of his last five splendid games, he’s averaging 35.8 points per game while shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and 43.6 percent from three-point range.

His season has been stellar, but the Blazers are going to need him to keep up every bit of this production if they want to get to the playoffs.

Next: The Defense Is Surprisingly Stout

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