Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Was Damian Lillard’s explosion against the Houston Rockets a product of diminished NBA defense and poor competition?
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard did what an infinitesimally small percentage of human beings are capable of doing on the highest stage, scoring 71 points against the Houston Rockets last night. However, it was not a jaw-dropper for all who bore witness or caught wind.
DJ Dunson of Deadspin rightfully and succinctly contextualized the scoring insurgency this season with necessary context, but in the same breath took away from Lillard’s handiwork, saying:
“By the time the alert had gone out to the east coast that he’d scored 41 before halftime (courtesy of a logo-length three) it was already 10:14 on a Sunday night.
“But even Lillard’s prolific scoring feels like it’s become ubiquitous throughout the league. Every superstar seems to have one of these games these days. The Clippers and Kings combined for 314 just a night earlier.
“The once-rare phenomenon of huge individual scoring has become so commonplace this season that they’ve begun to lose their luster. Donovan Mitchell already put up 71 this year in an overtime victory over the Chicago Bulls last month. Lillard himself now has five 60-plus scoring performances in his career, including one earlier this year.”
Much of the nation missed Kobe Bryant scoring 81 points against the then-14-27 Toronto Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006. It was aired on FSN West on a Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. There wasn’t a social media culture where people were hitting one another up to tune in, nor an abundance of smartphones in circulation with up-to-the-second alerts. Save Laker fans and Bryant enthusiasts, unless your eyes were glued to the ESPN ticker, chances are you marveled at the SportsCenter highlights the following morning.
Bryant had 26 points at the half, which while amazing in and of itself, did not forecast his 55-point explosion in the second half. All this to say, Bryant’s performance lives on forever. Even though Devin Booker got the last of his 70 points in garbage time against the Boston Celtics on March 4, 2017, the fact remains that he scored 70 points. The same can be said for Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers) and his 71-point forerunner to Dame’s record-breaking night.
Hypothetically speaking, if three sprinters were able to run sub-9.70 100 meter dashes at the next Summer Olympics, would it naturally garner marvel at the fact that three human beings were able to run at unprecedented speeds, or downplay in that only three runners had done so prior in recorded history?
Lillard was competing against the 13-47 Houston Rockets — a professional NBA team and not of “AAU” level (let alone college), no matter how bad they’ve played thus far — as well as the clock. There were also serious implications on this game, which Lillard expounded upon in his post-game interview.
While the Blazers have sunk to the bottom of the Western Conference standings, context shows that they — the No. 11 seed — are only two games out of the No. 6 seed. It also indicates that the ill fortune of the three teams ahead of them, counterbalanced with Rip City upping their game, could ascend them to the No. 8 seed in a matter of days. Whether or not that transpires remains to be seen, but the fact remains, and next to it, the logical probability.
For those that may have missed it, Lillard dropped 71 points on 22-38 shooting from the floor in only 39 minutes — a new NBA record. He did so in regulation, holding onto a lead, with real implications on the line down the stretch of the season. The lead was only nine with just over 10 minutes to play, and he was without his third and fourth best players (Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic). His second best player — Jerami Grant — recently returned from injury, added to a new cast of characters he’d yet to suit up with post-NBA trade deadline.
Lillard had five three pointers from 32 feet or further — hard to make irregardless of defense. He had two more from 28 feet out. Even watching the highlights shows that the defense committed to showing him different looks of the screen-and-roll, forcing Dame to turn the corner, or use other moves to create space.
It’s valid to attribute some of the burgeoning scoring performances of late to the defense in today’s NBA, but crossing the 70-point threshold ought to be taken for what it is, especially the way in which it was done.
MatthewLegros
https://www.blazersedge.com/2023/2/27/23617218/portland-trail-blazers-pg-damian-lillards-71-not-wowing-to-all-in-the-nba-world
By: MatthewLegros
Title: Blazers PG Damian Lillard’s 71 Not Wowing to All in the NBA World
Sourced From: www.blazersedge.com/2023/2/27/23617218/portland-trail-blazers-pg-damian-lillards-71-not-wowing-to-all-in-the-nba-world
Published Date: 02-28-2023
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the greatest NBA team?
This is a topic that has been hotly debated for decades. The 1980-1989 "showtime Lakers" were the dominant team in the league, winning five championships under Kareem AbdulJabbar and Magic Johnson. The Lakers also had superstars such as James Worthy, Byron Scott, and Kurt Rambis in their lineup during this period.
From 200 to 2004, the Los Angeles Lakers (later known as Shaw and Kobe Lakers) were a formidable force. Defended by the dynamic duo of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant - both Hall of Famers - they won three championships in a row from 2000 to 2002.
The Chicago Bulls of the 1990s were also a dominant force in their era, winning six championships under iconic head coach Phil Jackson and led by Michael Jordan, who is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. The Chico Bulls of 1995-1996 are one the most notable teams in NBA basketball history. They won the first of three consecutive NBA Championships and were the only team to win 72 games that season. In 2015-2016 the Bulls' 72-10 record for regular season broke by the Golden State Warriors.
The 1960s Boston Celtics were perhaps the most famous dynasty of the NBA. They won eight consecutive championships and eleven titles under Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach. Legendary players such as Sam Jones, Bob Cousysy, John Havlicek, John Cousysy and John Havlicek created a winning culture for the Celtics that has endured for decades.
The San Antonio Spurs is also considered a top contender to be the best NBA team. From 1999 to 2007 the Spurs won four league championships and had one among the most impressive runs in league history. Gregg Popovich and Tony Parker, future Hall of Famer, Manu Ginobili as head coaches, improved the team’s basketball approach. This emphasised a team-first mentality which helped them succeed.
With four NBA Championships in the past decade, the Golden State Warriors have been one of the most successful basketball teams. Steve Kerr is their head coach and they are led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thomson, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson. The Warriors have an exciting brand and style of basketball that has excited fans all around the world.
It is difficult to choose one team to be the greatest NBA dynasty. Each team had their own set of coaches and players that made them great, but certain teams stood out because of their dominance. It would be hard to argue for the greatest NBA dynasty without the Bulls Bulls Bulls Celtics Spurs Warriors and Celtics.
How long can a waiver-bound player remain?
If an NBA player is let go by their team during the season, they are on the waiver. Waived NBA players are eligible for a waiver 48 hours before another team can claim them. If more than one team claims the player in that time frame, priority goes to the team with the worst record.
Who invented basketball
While the origins of basketball are not known, many believe that James Naismith invented it in 1891, while he was a teacher at Springfield College, now the International Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), Training School. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. He formed nine teams from his 18-member class and began to teach them the basics. Original version had a soccer ball and two peach baskets attached to the gymnasium's ends. Players were limited to shooting at the basket from below, and goaltending was not yet part of the game. Basketball spread quickly across America and was soon organized with professional teams playing at large venues. It is today one of the most loved sports in the world.
What is a buyout for the NBA?
A buyout agreement in the NBA is between a club and a player. This agreement allows the team to pay the remainder of the contract amount the player was entitled. This allows players to become free agents and sign with any other team in the league as soon as their buyout is complete. The league allows teams to change their roster composition or reduce their salaries during the season.
Which NBA player is the most successful in blocking shots?
Mark Eaton's 1984-85 season set new records in blocks (456) as well as blocks per game (5.56). Eaton's all-time total that year was the greatest single-season number in NBA history.
Hakeem Olajuwon holds the NBA Record for Most Career Blocks with 3,830. Olajuwon played 1,238 games over his 18-year tenure and averaged 21.8 point, 11.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
What is a restricted agent free in NBA?
A restricted free NBA agent is a player that has completed their rookie deal and becomes an unlimited free agent. Rights are still held by the previous team. In such a situation, the team is allowed to match any offer made by another team to the player. The player can choose to match any offer made by another team. However, they must stay with the previous team and honor their contract. This allows teams the opportunity to retain valuable players, even though they may not be able pay them due to their salary cap. Restricted free agents are a type of free agent that can provide teams with valuable flexibility when building their rosters.
Statistics
- Williams would 'likely' accept a deal worth $14-15M/year; Celtics are 'unlikely' to offer such a deal (HoopsHype) (bleacherreport.com)
- An estimated 800 million viewers watched the [105]2017–18 season. (en.wikipedia.org)
- "NBA first-round ratings drop 27 percent, 40 percent since 2017–18". (en.wikipedia.org)
- The opening game of the 2020 Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat brought in only 7.41 million viewers to ABC, according to The Hollywood Reporter. (en.wikipedia.org)
- The 2013–14 season opened with 92 international players on the opening night rosters, representing 39 countries and over 20 percent of the league. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
basketball-reference.com
- Thomas Bryant Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com
- Dennis Schroder Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com
twitter.com
- Tweet / twitter
- Sam Amico on Twitter: "Timberwolves Waive PJ Dozier, CJ Elleby and AJ Lawson - Hoops Wire https://t.co/xKu1ZTuQZN" / Twitter
sports.yahoo.com
- Yahoo Mail, Search, Weather, Search Politics, News Finance Sports & Videos
- The lowest ever recorded viewership for Game 1 of the NBA Finals is seen in ratings history
nba.com
How To
How can you prepare for a NBA game experience?
To be ready for an NBA experience, you need to make sure that you have the right ticket. You can either purchase tickets directly from the team's site or through a third party electronic ticket seller. Be sure to plan your trip and learn the arena rules so you don’t forget. Arrive early for warm-ups, pregame activities, and to avoid the rush. Acquire team merchandise, like a shirt or hat, if desired. Bring your camera and binoculars for close-up shots of the action on court. Don't miss the action! Consider other entertainment options at halftimes such as a concert and special event. Enjoy the game.
