9.) Damian Lillard (Blend = 7.7)
May 2, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) walks off the court after hitting the game winning shot against the Houston Rockets during the fourth quarter in game six of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Advanced Stats: PER=18.6, Win Shares=.157, RPM=2.78, Wins Produced=.111, ASPM=2.26
I could write a lot of words describing Damian Lillard’s game…or you could just watch this. But seriously, Lillard is a gamer. He came into the league a mature and polished player, and he only got better in year two. He managed to increase both his shot attempts and shooting percentage, thanks in large part to his ridiculous 39.4% hit rate on nearly seven three-point-attempts per game. Both his assist percentage and turnover rate decreased last year, likely symptoms of playing off-ball more often.
Despite being an offensive powerhouse for the Blazers, Lillard’s defense, like most young guards, needs work. In fact, out of the top forty point-guards in RPM, Lillard ranked dead last in terms of defensive impact (DRPM). At only the tender age of 24 however, Lillard has plenty of time to improve.