Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard strives for more consistency

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is proud to see his team with a 10-4 record and at the top of the Western Conference standings, but he also understands that consistency is the key.

The six-time All-Star wants to see his potential playoff contender fire on all cylinders at the beginning of games as well. “For the team that we are, we can’t have those lulls,” said Lillard.

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"I think people have said things about me defensively without understanding what real responsibility is when you’re leading a team and how hard that is. So I make it a point: We gonna see about it." — @Dame_Lillard pic.twitter.com/POACyn9a1n

— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) November 16, 2022

“We’ve got to be sharp,” continued the Trail Blazers guard. “We don’t have the luxury to be that team to turn it on and off. We’ve got to be on all the time.” Of course, that’s easier said than done.

Through nine games this season, Lillard is averaging 27.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. Plus, he’s shooting 46% from the field and 37.9% from beyond the arc.

As for the Trail Blazers, they’re averaging 109.9 points per game, ranking 23rd in the NBA.

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard aims for more consistent play in the first half of games

At the moment, Lillard is shooting a career-high true shooting percentage of 63.8%. His 3-point attempt rate is also 54%, the highest of his 11-year career.

Following the Trail Blazers’ 117-110 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, the guard mentioned the importance of stepping up their play on defense.

“We’re a good team,” explained Lillard. “That’s how we view ourselves. And we know what makes us a good team. In the past, we had to say, ‘somebody needs to get it going’ and the energy on our team now is ‘we’ve got to get some stops.'”

In 40 minutes played, Dame amassed 22 points, 2.0 rebounds, 11 assists, and 1.0 block. The guard earned his second double-double of the season. He shot 8-of-20 (40%) from the floor and 2-of-9 (22.2%) from downtown.

Additionally, Jusuf Nurkic made his return on Tuesday night after missing the previous three games. He ended his performance with 9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 15 minutes.

Late in the fourth quarter, Lillard’s steal led to a 3-pointer that gave the Trail Blazers a 110-106 lead.

Based on the available data, the Trail Blazers’ weakness is their scoring efficiency. Portland ranks sixth overall in opponent points per game, allowing only 107.6 points. Therefore, the team is decent defensively.