Damian Lillard has put himself among the elite group of players playing at an MVP level in this last stretch of the season, catapulting his Portland Trail Blazers team from the bottom of the playoff picture into the third seed, thanks to an eight-game win streak after dispatching the visiting New York Knicks 111-87.
Lillard had yet another impressive game, tallying 37 points in 10-of-18 shooting, including an incandescent 8-of-11 from downtown, which sealed the Knicks' fate early in the game.
“The guy is playing fantastic,” said Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek, according to Kerry Eggers of The Portland Tribune. “He might be one of those guys you have to start talking about for the MVP.”
While the Western Conference playoff picture is fierce from the first look with spots three to eight being separated by a mere 3.5 games — the top four spots have gone either 9-1 on their last 10 games or have gone undefeated (Houston Rockets) through that stretch.
In a battle of attrition, neither team is letting up and clawing their way for the highest possible seed without letting up.
Lillard has now scored 35 or more points in three of his last four games and since the start of February has racked up five 30-point games, two 40-point games, and a 50-point bomb against the Sacramento Kings.
The Oakland native is averaging 32.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game through this early March stretch (four games), shooting a blistering 47.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Lillard's name has shot up to the MVP conversation along with New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, who is in a tear of his own.
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