Portland Trail Blazers: 5 goals for Damian Lillard in 2017-18

1. Make his third All-Star Team

Damian Lillard has two career All-Star appearances to his name. His last one was in 2015 for the game in New York. In that game, he put up 11 points, two rebounds and two assists in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd.

However, even as he continues to improve as a player, Lillard has found himself snubbed for the past two seasons.

It is likely a goal for Lillard to return for this year’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles. With players such as Paul George, Jimmy Butler and Lonzo Ball joining the conference, in addition to the All-Stars that were already present, it will tougher to pull off in 2018. However, we’ve seen over the years that Lillard doesn’t shy away from challenges.

Getting to L.A. for All-Star Weekend will likely require him to improve on or maintain on one of the aspects mentioned in this article. Building on his defense and scoring or maintaining his playmaking will reflect well on his stats and the fortunes of the Trail Blazers.

The Golden State Warriors‘ Big Four of Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will likely take up the Western starter roles. It’s more realistic to believe he can earn a reserve spot via the coaches’ selections. Relying on the coaches may work in his favor, as they will be more inclined to understand his growth and play on the court.

Lillard is already a top-tier point guard in the NBA. However, an All-Star nod in the Western Conference in 2018 would be a strong indicator of his growth as a player in multiple facets of the game.

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Some of the items in this article point to individual stats. However, as the team’s lead guard, his improvement in those areas can lead to improvement for the Portland Trail Blazers as a whole.