Damian Lillard appeared on Jeff Teague’s ‘Club 520’ podcast, discussing his legacy and how he is perceived by fans and critics. He remarked that he is often not included in discussions about the league’s great players, particularly when compared to some of his peers. Lillard attributes this to his consistent performance, which he feels goes unnoticed.
“They don’t talk about it… I’m taking tougher, more contested shots with stronger defenses against me. People overlook it and act like I’m not doing what I’ve been doing.”
“This will be my 13th season… Reflecting on how many players have been excellent over this time, most have only been good for a few years.”
“There haven’t been many who have consistently performed throughout my time in the league. I think people just get bored with consistency.”
“And I’m not flashy. But I’ve been delivering year after year and winning. I’m not just playing for a non-playoff team. The season before last, I averaged nearly 33 points per game… I’ve been over 25 points a game for almost 8-9 years.”
Lillard makes a valid point about his consistent excellence. When healthy, he has been among the top scorers in the NBA, but his lack of significant playoff success may impact his standing among the league’s best players.
In his 12 NBA seasons, Lillard has averaged 25.1 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game, earning eight All-Star and seven All-NBA selections. Despite his scoring prowess and clutch performances, his playoff career has been less impressive.
Lillard has made nine playoff appearances but has reached the conference finals only once, where his Trail Blazers were defeated by the Golden State Warriors. While his teams have often lacked championship-caliber support, Lillard’s performance in these situations has been noteworthy. However, his recent stint with the Milwaukee Bucks saw an early playoff exit, partially due to injuries, which impacted his record.
Looking ahead, Lillard and the Bucks will aim to improve their playoff performance next season. With the Bucks being a strong Eastern Conference team, Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo will need to deliver significant performances if they hope to overcome top conference rivals.
