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  • Lillard National Player of the Week

    Lillard, a 6-foot-3 junior from Oakland, Calif., averaged 34 points, six rebounds and five assists for the week. He scored 30 points with seven rebounds, five assists and a blocked shot in the Wildcats' 79-71 win over Eastern Washington on Thursday. During the game, he scored his 1,500th career point.

    Lillard followed that with 38 points, five assists and five rebounds an 88-81 victory over Portland State. Lillard scored 23 points in the first half, including a half-court 3-point shot at the buzzer to cut Portland State's lead to 51-44. In the two games last week, he shot 47.5 percent from the field, 57.1 percent from 3-point range, and 94.7 percent from the free-throw line.

    Lillard leads the nation in scoring with an average of 26.3 points per game and has been selected as the Big Sky Conference Player of the Week four times this season.
    http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7...-the-week.html

    Bunch of GM's at the Portland State game. Sounds like he could be headed for the first round. Good for him.
    So Russell...what do you love about music? To begin with, everything.

  • #2
    And yet, somehow, McDermott isn't the paragon of this virtue. That would be Weber State's Damian Lillard. What Lillard is doing deserves special, even constant, consideration. The Wildcats guard leads the nation in points per game with 24.8. He also just so happens to lead the nation (among players in the plus-28 percent usage category) in offensive rating, where he is seven points ahead of McDermott at 130.7. It's hard to describe how amazing this is. It almost never happens. Usually, when you score a lot of points, you take a lot of shots, and a good portion of those shots fail to fall through the hoop. Not with Lillard. He's averaging 24.8 points per game because he shoots at a 46 percent clip from the field, a 45 percent clip from 3, and a 91 percent clip from the free throw line, where he finds himself nearly eight times per game. And the scoring is just the half of it: Lillard also leads his team in rebounds (5.8 per game), assists (3.7) and steals (1.3). If he played for a power conference team, he'd be the runaway favorite for national player of the year. There's a chicken-egg argument there, of course; maybe if Lillard played for a power-six school he wouldn't be playing the same level of competition, the numbers wouldn't be as good, etc. But however you want to slice it, the dude is having an insane college basketball season. Frankly, he's nearly been perfect.
    http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebaske...-nba-attention
    So Russell...what do you love about music? To begin with, everything.

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    • #3
      Lillard dumps 40 on 18 shots. Yes, 18 shots.
      [ame="http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=320332692"]Portland State Vikings vs. Weber State Wildcats - Box Score - February 02, 2012 - ESPN[/ame]
      So Russell...what do you love about music? To begin with, everything.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by MarkGrace View Post
        Was due and had to make good for the 15-point bomb he laid in a loss to Idaho State.

        Comment


        • #5
          Does anyone really believe that the national POY will ever come from the Big Sky Conference?
          "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy; its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill


          "I only know what I hear on the news." - Dear Leader

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          • #6
            Originally posted by il Padrino Ute View Post
            Does anyone really believe that the national POY will ever come from the Big Sky Conference?
            Nope. I didn't see anything incredible when he played at the MC this year. What did he have, 13 points?
            "It's devastating, because we lost to a team that's not even in the Pac-12. To lose to Utah State is horrible." - John White IV

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            • #7
              This is courtesy of Jacob in the Jazz thread.

              Ken Pomeroy @kenpomeroy
              Pretty sure D. Lillard is having the best season by any human that has played basketball in any league, anywhere. 130 ORtg with 32% usage??
              So Russell...what do you love about music? To begin with, everything.

              Comment


              • #8
                BYU handed Weber its worst loss of the season, beating them by 28 points.
                Everything in life is an approximation.

                http://twitter.com/CougarStats

                Comment


                • #9
                  Ford says Lillard could end up in the lottery.

                  The GMs and scouts I spoke with were virtually unanimous that Lillard is a potential lottery pick in this year's draft. Teams always have loved Lillard's scoring ability. It's been the other areas of his game that have given them pause.

                  Lillard has improved in virtually every aspect of his game. He's now a much more consistent threat from behind the arc (he's shooting 45 percent from 3 this season). His turnovers have decreased despite his high usage rate, and he's proved to be a capable floor general when he isn't carrying the team's scoring load.
                  In a draft devoid of elite point guard prospects, more and more teams are talking themselves into Lillard. His closest competition is Washington's Tony Wroten Jr. But Lillard's steadiness, maturity and his jump shot make him a better bet right now. We've had Lillard in the mid- to late-first round most of the year, but after an extensive round of calls this week, we're putting him in the lottery for the first time.

                  With a great tournament run and great workouts, it's not out of the question that he could work himself even a bit higher. Several potential lottery teams, including the Suns, Hornets and Jazz, will be in the market for a point guard this year. All three teams like him. It's hard to see him slipping by all three -- especially when you consider that the Hornets and Jazz have multiple first-round picks.
                  http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog/...ng-way-lottery
                  So Russell...what do you love about music? To begin with, everything.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Over the weekend, I made visits to three California gyms to watch workouts -- one in Santa Monica, another in Reseda and a third in Oakland on Saturday.

                    The three workouts were all different. Over 80 general managers and NBA scouts attended a group workout for the Wasserman group on Friday morning. The workout was headlined by Terrence Jones, Fab Melo and Tony Wroten Jr. The workout was drill-oriented and didn't involve any actual competition.

                    On Friday afternoon, I was in the 360 gym to watch trainer Joe Abunassar work out his clients -- Terrence Ross, Arnett Moultrie, Jet Chang and Terrell Stoglin. After the workout, I was able to see the top prospects compete in some competitive four-on-four action alongside and against NBA players Austin Daye and Rasual Butler.

                    On Saturday, Aaron Goodwin invited me to Oakland to watch a grueling private workout for Damian Lillard.

                    Here's what I learned:

                    • If the draft plays out the way we expect it to, nine of the top 10 players in the draft will come from five of the biggest programs in college basketball -- Kentucky, UConn, North Carolina, Kansas and Baylor.

                    The 10th will be from lowly Weber State. The Big Sky school is located 30 minutes north of Salt Lake City and isn't known for producing draft picks (its best player was Willard Sojourner, a second-round pick of the Chicago Bulls in 1971) -- let alone lottery picks. So pardon Lillard if he thinks that his sudden thrust into the limelight is a bit surreal.

                    Yes, he was the second-best scorer in college basketball last season at 24.5 ppg. Yes, he ranked with the lowest turnovers per possession (one turnover every 8.9 possesion) for any point guard in the country. Yes, he ranked No. 2 in John Hollinger's college PER at 33.58 behind only Anthony Davis. And yes, that efficiency ranking was especially impressive because Lillard used 25 percent of his team's possessions while Davis used just 15 percent.

                    Nevertheless, juniors from Weber State who were lightly recruited out of high school and missed almost their entire sophomore seasons with injuries aren't supposed to be lottery picks.

                    "I was surprised," Lillard said when I asked him how he reacted when we pegged him as a lottery pick in Feb. 21. "I was hearing second round. Maybe late first round. When you come from a school like Weber State, that's the most you can hope for. But lottery? Don't get me wrong, I think I belong. I just didn't think anyone else did."

                    Three months later, virtually everyone else does. The majority of scouts and GMs I spoke with this weekend had Lillard in the lottery. Many had him in the top 10. Most believe he'll be the first point guard taken on draft night. Once they see him in workouts, the few teams that are holding out are likely to come into the fold.

                    Lillard put on one of the most impressive workouts I've seen in a while. The grueling 1½-hour session had Lillard going full speed for the entire workout. He ran the length of the floor repeatedly, shuffled side to side with medicine balls, shot jumpers with a huge tether around his waist and, as the sweat poured down his face, he just kept hitting shot after shot after shot.

                    There are very few holes in Lillard's game. He's got a terrific jump shot with excellent range. While some scouts have questioned just how athletic he is, his agent, Aaron Goodwin, told me that he's consistently measuring out with a 40-inch vertical. On Saturday he was still exploding off the floor for emphatic dunks, even at the end of the workout. Lillard is quick with the ball and has a tight handle. While we didn't get to see this in the workout, he's a willing passer who is comfortable finding the open man.

                    Above it all, everyone who knows him says that the most impressive thing about Lillard is his work ethic. He is constantly trying to improve his game, and it's hard to get him out of the gym. He looked like he was incredible shape and has clearly been putting in the work to make sure teams know how good is.

                    It's tough to blame him.

                    Lillard was a late bloomer who didn't get much attention from scouting services or high-major recruiters (he was ranked as the No. 48 point guard in his class by ESPNU). He played AAU ball for the Oakland Rebels, not the elite Oakland Soldiers club. When Weber State came calling, Lillard was happy. After a terrific senior year in high school, a few major programs started to show interest, but Lillard felt like Weber State would be the best fit.

                    "I didn't want to be someone's backup plan," Lillard said. "I wanted to go to a team that wanted me to play an important role. I felt like Weber State would give me the chance to start over and become who I believed I could become. It was a great decision."

                    Lillard came in and was an instant impact player for the Wildcats. He averaged 11.5 ppg as a freshman and earned Big Sky freshman of the Year honors. As a sophomore, he averaged 19.9 ppg, shot 43 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3 -- earning him first-team, all-Big Sky honors and getting him an honorable mention on the AP All-America team. As a junior, he broke his foot 10 games into the season and was given a medical redshirt by the NCAA.

                    Lillard spent the time off lifting weights and watching game film. He watched all 71 games the Wildcats had played in his time there and returned with both a stronger body and a higher basketball IQ.

                    Lillard was special as a junior and by midseason a number of scouts were predicting he could be the top point guard off the board on draft night. Lillard is now in competition with North Carolina's Kendall Marshall and Syracuse's Dion Waiters to be the first point guard off the board.

                    With several teams, including the Blazers, Raptors, Hornets and Suns (and possibly the Jazz if the Warriors fall to eighth in the lottery), on the prowl for a point guard, he could go as high as No. 6 and it's likely that he doesn't slip past 13 on draft night.
                    http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog/...ks-top-10-pick
                    So Russell...what do you love about music? To begin with, everything.

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                    • #11
                      Gracie's man Lillard, is getting a ton of positive press in the Rose City, and around the league. If he lives up to his preseason billing, he will be considered the steal of the draft. I saw one pundit, claim he will challenge unibrow for ROY.

                      He seems like a good guy. It should be exciting to see him play.

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                      • #12
                        He had a great summer (league MVP) and has had a great preseason as well -- hope he can keep it up. You probably saw something from Thorpe, who is very high on him.

                        My bro-in-law and nephew sat near the court for the Portland game the other night, and Lillard recognized my four year old nephew from Weber games and came over to talk to him. He's a good kid. My fam has always really liked him.
                        So Russell...what do you love about music? To begin with, everything.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by MarkGrace View Post

                          My bro-in-law and nephew sat near the court for the Portland game the other night, and Lillard recognized my four year old nephew from Weber games and came over to talk to him. He's a good kid. My fam has always really liked him.
                          That's impressive.
                          I'm like LeBron James.
                          -mpfunk

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by MarkGrace View Post
                            He had a great summer (league MVP) and has had a great preseason as well -- hope he can keep it up. You probably saw something from Thorpe, who is very high on him.

                            My bro-in-law and nephew sat near the court for the Portland game the other night, and Lillard recognized my four year old nephew from Weber games and came over to talk to him. He's a good kid. My fam has always really liked him.
                            That's really cool.

                            The L&L rookie watch is well under way, and Portland should be good again in about 5 years. I've got 82 games on TV this year, and probably will see them all in my man cave, or in the Rose Garden in Section 19 Row H seat 12&13.
                            Last edited by clackamascoug; 10-31-2012, 09:38 AM.

                            When poet puts pen to paper imagination breathes life, finding hearth and home.
                            -Mid Summer's Night Dream

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                            • #15
                              Great start to his NBA career.
                              So Russell...what do you love about music? To begin with, everything.

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