Damian Lillard struggles big time right now

[ShootersShoot]

Last 11:
24.8 ppg
4.2 rpb
6.2 apg
1.1 spg
2.7 tov

Shooting splits of 40-32-93

We should do this every week. Weekly update on the ups and downs of Dame.

Where are you getting your stats from?

I have Dame at
Last 11:
25.4 ppg
4.8 rpg
8.4 apg
2.6 tov
.436-.389-.902
60.5% TS

Source: bball reference

Uhh shoot, honestly I don't know where I got those numbers. I mean I got them on bballref but I must have just highlighted the wrong games? I'm not sure. That's totally my bad - your numbers are correct. Still a swing from 48-41-91 to 44-39-90, but not nearly as big. Close to insignificant, actually.

Either way, if you exclude his injury-shortened season, some of his numbers are close to his career lows. PPG since 2014-2015, eFG since 2015-16. Admittedly TS is decent, as he's getting a lot more calls now than he used to with a career-high FTr.

I don't think anyone can legitimately say he's looked in top form. It is still really early in the season, though. I think he'll get back into form.

I have the Bucks and Sixers in the conference finals. Should be a ridiculously good battle when it gets there.

Yea, he has been having some bad performances in between good ones. His efficiency is being propped up by his free throws.

Still, averaging over 25ppg and 8apg with 60% TS in those recent games while the team being 8-3 is not bad overall. Its his first time playing with anyone the caliber of Giannis and first time on a different team, plus it has only been about a quarter of the season. I would imagine he is still not super comfortable playing with his new teammates. We will know more with a bigger sample size.

[Michael Jordan]

Dame is one of the most elite players in the clutch, I'm not worried about him. The 2 main things to worry about; the team outside of Giannis + Dame and the Boston Celtics being better than them.

Had the Bucks known that Holiday would end up in Boston if they traded for Dame - I don't think they would have done it.

[oikosnomos]

He went from running a team by himself to going to a complete roster. His numbers are going to go down just based on usage.

[NBA4Lyfe]

He went from running a team by himself to going to a complete roster. His numbers are going to go down just based on usage.

gave up all that power he had in portland and STILL MAY NOT even win a ring smh

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Dame is one of the most elite players in the clutch, I'm not worried about him. The 2 main things to worry about; the team outside of Giannis + Dame and the Boston Celtics being better than them.

Had the Bucks known that Holiday would end up in Boston if they traded for Dame - I don't think they would have done it.

The Bucks are a team that go bounced in the first and second round the last 2 years. Not making a trade that makes you better on the account that someone you may or may not play in the conference is either hubris or idiocy. .....And that's before factoring in Jrue's playoff struggles.

[Onlytimewilltel]

He went from running a team by himself to going to a complete roster. His numbers are going to go down just based on usage.

gave up all that power he had in portland and STILL MAY NOT even win a ring smh

It’s not that easy to win a ring. “Even win a ring” lol like it’s some sh*t you do on your way to the grocery store, easy peasy. You should know this as a Harden fan.

[Ritzo]

His worst 3 games this season were against the Bulls 3x. He struggled to make a shot even without Caruso playing. Coby White outscored Dame three times, 16 to 12, 23 to 18, 33 to 14.

Dame's numbers:
1. 12pts, 3rbs, 5ast, 5to, 3/17fg, 1/9 3pfg
2. 18pts, 5rbs, 13ast, 7to, 7/16fg, 1/6 3pfg
3. 14pts, 4rbs, 9ast, 2to, 3/17fg, 2/9 3pfg

[Harry Garris]

He went from running a team by himself to going to a complete roster. His numbers are going to go down just based on usage.

He started playing better right around the time this thread was originally posted. He's averaged 26, 8, and 5 on 40% from 3 since mid november.

[John Murdoch]

Damn he sux now

[Sign5]

If you think keeping JJJ and Jovic is the path to a championship..then sure...but they arent... having a couple of young role players is better than a perennial all star?

The title is about Dame's struggles, fact of the matter is his numbers are down across the board. Which is exactly why I wasn't huge on the trade in the first place. Dame is declining and will likely be one of the worst contract in the league. No thanks.

its hard to imagine a hot take looking worse as fast as this one did

Give it some time.

[Crives]

Damn he sux now

It’s new years, can’t judge anything today lol

[GreatWhiteStiff]

He went from running a team by himself to going to a complete roster. His numbers are going to go down just based on usage.

He's still getting 26 ppg worth of usage. I'm not sure how he'll make it.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Damn he sux now

It’s new years, can’t judge anything today lol

All I'm saying is, he hasn't played a single good game to this point in 2024.

[nykinoz]

The team is winning, that's what he wanted, if he wanted to stat pad, he would of stayed in PDX.

[monopoman]

The team is winning, that's what he wanted, if he wanted to stat pad, he would of stayed in PDX.

Well that and he is used to doing his best work when the team is down 10+ as the 4th quarter begins. He is on a much better team now that typically has a lead in his best quarter it's impacting him somewhat.

[Meeksology]

He went from running a team by himself to going to a complete roster. His numbers are going to go down just based on usage.

gave up all that power he had in portland and STILL MAY NOT even win a ring smh

You can say the same damn thing with Harden when he left Houston..
"gave up all that power he had in Houston and STILL MAY NOT even win a ring smh"

.. but we all know you wont admit that.

[NBA4Lyfe]

He went from running a team by himself to going to a complete roster. His numbers are going to go down just based on usage.

gave up all that power he had in portland and STILL MAY NOT even win a ring smh

You can say the same damn thing with Harden when he left Houston..
"gave up all that power he had in Houston and STILL MAY NOT even win a ring smh"

.. but we all know you wont admit that.

I’m on record stating that James harden made a terrible mistake leaving Houston. I said it was a terrible idea at the time as well

[Meeksology]

gave up all that power he had in portland and STILL MAY NOT even win a ring smh

You can say the same damn thing with Harden when he left Houston..
"gave up all that power he had in Houston and STILL MAY NOT even win a ring smh"

.. but we all know you wont admit that.

I’m on record stating that James harden made a terrible mistake leaving Houston. I said it was a terrible idea at the time as well

my bad. My argument with what you said tho, I believe both Dame and Harden did the right thing because they are both in a better position now to win a ring than if they had stayed in Por and Hou. But of course, there's an argument the other way as well.

[Charlesareed]

His worst 3 games this season were against the Bulls 3x. He struggled to make a shot even without Caruso playing. Coby White outscored Dame three times, 16 to 12, 23 to 18, 33 to 14.

Dame's numbers:
1. 12pts, 3rbs, 5ast, 5to, 3/17fg, 1/9 3pfg
2. 18pts, 5rbs, 13ast, 7to, 7/16fg, 1/6 3pfg
3. 14pts, 4rbs, 9ast, 2to, 3/17fg, 2/9 3pfg

While Caruso is one of e the best defensive players in the nba and in the team the bulls have other players on the defensive side of the ball ayo Tory Graig Patrick Williams and Coby defense has been improved this season

[old skool]

Lillard has been a key component of the best 4th quarter team in the NBA.

Lillard's contribution to that success is that he gives his team a third closer who can get a basket on his own. He is better in that role than Middleton, who is still a bit hobbled from off season surgery and is prone to sloppy turnovers. He is better in that role than Antetokounmpo who can find his path to the basket blocked by multiple defenders and is an easy foul target given his struggles from the FT line.

Lillard can shoot from the arc, where his 3FGA% has been pedestrian. He can drive to the basket. He can score in the mid-range. He can draw fouls and makes FTs at an elite rate. The addition of that offensive gravity to Antetokounmpo and Middleton, elevates the performance of Lopez and Beasley, which explains why Beasley leads to NBA in total +/- this season with a plus 115 as of December 31.

So while Lillard's individual stats have not been eye popping, the team result has been. Whether concentrating so much of the salary cap and roster on high end offensive talent with a diminished focus on defense works in the long run, remains to be seen, but measuring Lillard on individual stats without considering the resulting significant team success misses the point of his move to Milwaukee.

Fans are quick to embrace the theory of individuals focusing on team success over personal accomplishments, but often put that embrace aside when given the opportunity to criticize a decline in individual performance that can only be a negative when ignoring the team result.