Portland Trail Blazers: 3 bold predictions for 2020-21 season

Bold prediction No. 1 – Damian Lillard wins first league MVP

Damian Lillard unanimously won ‘bubble MVP’ for his heroic efforts in the NBA’s restart, but now, he could have a legitimate shot at the real thing for the 2020-21 season. Could Lillard legitimately make his way into the MVP conversation and snatch the award from current favorites Luka Doncic or Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Absolutely.

Lillard will not be the odds on betting favorite from the jump, but if he can pick up where he left off last season, he could leap in the standings fairly quickly. The five-time All-Star is coming off his best season yet in 2019-20, having averaged 30 points on a .463/.401/.888 slash line, 4.3 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.

Now, the guard enters the 2020-21 season with a much-improved core, and their overall success will be pivotal in any Lillard MVP discussions. If Lillard can have another outstanding season while leading this team to a top-three record in the Western Conference, another bold prediction, he could be well on his way to earning his first league MVP award.

If so, Damian Lillard would be just the second Portland Trail Blazer ever to take home the award, the first being Bill Walton in the 1977-78 season. However, only time will tell if he can achieve such a prestigious honor.