Despite missing a call up to the All-Star Game the last two seasons, Damian Lillard believes this should be the year to brush off the snub bug.
The second All-Star fan ballot returns were released last week, and Lillard had 266,519 votes — eighth among Western Conference guards. The Portland Trail Blazers point guard was hopeful this will be the year he's called back in.
“I've gotten frustrated just for the fact that it feels like I always got to be the fall guy and every other guy has been deserving,” Lillard told ESPN's Chris Haynes.
“In the past, the thing has been, ‘All right, my team has been 10 games under .500 or not in the playoffs,' but every year we've found a way to be in the postseason, and this year I think we're in much better position than we have been in the past two seasons that I didn't make it. I think I've gotten over the emotional part of it the last few times that I didn't make it. Now I'm kind of like expecting it to go that way, but I feel like I should be there.”
We may be looking at another All-Star snub for Lillard, which is a shame, as the Blazers guard is keeping his team in the last spot of playoff contention with a record of 23-21.
Looking at the numbers, Lillard does have them to back up his gut feeling. He is one of the few players averaging 25 points, four rebounds and six assists — the others being LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and James Harden.
That's good company, but for some reason, Lillard is not getting the same level of attention and respect as these players have.
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