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NBA Power Rankings: Top 20 Players Heading Into 2017

By Maxwell Ogden

Dec 25, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play against theMinnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 25, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play against theMinnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 23, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) high fives forward Maurice Harkless (4) at the end of first quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) high fives forward Maurice Harkless (4) at the end of first quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

18. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

Position: Point Guard
Age: 26 (7/15/1990)
Experience: 5th Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .454/.352/.896
2016-17 Season Averages: 35.8 MPG, 27.0 PPG, 6.2 APG, 4.5 RPG, 0.9 SPG, 2.6 3PM

The Portland Trail Blazers are 2-10 over the past 12 games. Thus, for as phenomenally as Damian Lillard has played individually, it’s impossible to ignore the erratic nature of the Trail Blazers’ season.

Keeping Lillard out of the Top 20 with a season like he’s having simply wouldn’t be rational, which is why he holds onto the No. 16 spot.

Only two players are averaging at least 25.0 points per game on a slash line of .450/.350/.800 or better in 2016-17: Lillard and Kevin Durant. Lillard still has 48 games to play, but only seven guards have combined his volume and efficiency since the 1999-2000 season.

Those guards are Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Lillard, and Michael Redd.

Lillard is currently battling an ankle injury, but he shouldn’t miss enough time for his ranking to be invalidated. The hope is that his return to the starting lineup will come at the perfect time to stabilize the Trail Blazers’ rotation.

Lillard is producing at an incredible rate, but the Trail Blazers will need to start winning games again if he’s going to have a shot at MVP.