Hoops Habit
Fansided

HoopsHabit 2015-16 All-NBA Teams

By Maxwell Ogden

Mar 12, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball as San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball as San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
12 of 16
Next
Apr 5, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) controls the ball against Sacramento Kings guard Seth Curry (30) during the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) controls the ball against Sacramento Kings guard Seth Curry (30) during the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /

All-NBA Third Team

Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

Position: Point Guard

Age: 25

Slash Line: .419/.375/.892

Season Averages: 35.7 MPG, 25.1 PPG, 6.8 APG, 4.0 RPG, 0.9 SPG, 3.1 3PM

The general consensus entering the 2015-16 NBA regular season was that the Portland Trail Blazers would miss the playoffs. That was an understandable belief given the fact that Portland lost LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Robin Lopez, Wesley Matthews and Arron Afflalo—five starters—during the summer of 2015.

Rather than giving in to the low expectations that were sung in unison by critics across the NBA community, Damian Lillard broke through the alleged glass ceiling.

Lillard had a season to remember, averaging 25.1 points and 6.8 assists per game—both numbers that ranked in the Top 10 in the NBA. He also made 229 3-point field goals, which was No. 4 in the Association.

Lillard’s scoring exploits are comparable to the franchise’s all-time greats.

Lillard has a very strong complementary scorer in HoopsHabit’s pick for Most Improved Player: shooting guard C.J. McCollum. The rest of the team is filled out by career role players, however, including Al-Farouq Aminu, Allen Crabbe, Ed Davis, and Mason Plumlee.

With all due respect to the splendid efforts of his teammates, Lillard is the reason Portland is the overachieving No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

Next: All-NBA Third Team: Guard