ESPN NBA Rank 2018-19: 5 players they ranked too high

2018 NBA Finals - Game Four
2018 NBA Finals - Game Four

#4 Damian Lillard

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Portland Trail Blazers v New Orleans Pelicans - Game Three
Portland Trail Blazers v New Orleans Pelicans - Game Three

For all of Damian Lillard's virtues, and there are several of them undoubtedly, the 2017-18 season did anything but to enhance his resume as a top-10 player in the league - specifically, the playoffs.

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Hounded by soft and hard double-teaming tactics through the length of the 4-game series, Lillard averaged 8 points per game lower than his regular season scoring average on sub-40 shooting from the floor and sub-30 3-point shooting percentage. Coach Alvin Gentry essentially coached him off the floor, and even a 38-point outburst by McCollum did not dissuade Gentry from continuing to use his tactics in Game 4 against Lillard - because it was working.

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The exposure of such a fatal flaw in his game means that he is, at least in my eyes, no better off this year than he was last year. ESPN projected the Blazers to finish outside the playoff berths this season, and yet they have the nerve to project Lillard as a top 10 player in the league despite being a defensive liability still.

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Edited by Prathik R
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