“ You need two more! » This is what a member of the Bucks staff said to Damian Lillard, while he returned to his bench during the match against the Bulls, earlier in the week. The leader of the Bucks, author of a dark evening in terms of skill (14 points at 3/17…), did not yet know what it was about.
The former Blazers player understood this better when facing the Pacers last night. The “two” units are a reference to his position in the hierarchy of players with the greatest number of 3-point baskets in their career: two more would allow him to climb.
Author of 21 points, he achieved this despite a lot of waste behind the arc: only 2/8, but enough to dislodge Kyle Korver to 5th place in the rankings.
Reggie Miller in his sights
“ When it comes to records, my mother will talk to me about it, my cousins sometimes too, telling me that I should be happier, appreciate it more. But I'm so caught up in the next deadline, moving forward, that I don't appreciate it until a year later. I'll see a list and my name will be on it and I'll be like 'Geez, I'm #3, #2 or close to whatever'. It makes no difference “, minimizes the playmaker.
However, he concedes: “ I definitely admit it and it's an honor to be in this group with so many great shooters, but as soon as I saw (the list), I looked at who was number 4 and how far behind I was. It's my natural process. »
At 33, “Dame Time” now needs 110 more baskets to reach his next target, Reggie Miller. By maintaining his current cruising speed, 3 winning baskets per game (which is less than his good years in Portland), he could get there in less than forty games.
A thousand more shots for Stephen Curry
He will still have work to do, however, to reach Ray Allen, 2nd, while James Harden is also still ahead of him, but has been much less prolific in this regard in recent years. As for Stephen Curry, he is more than 1,000 converted shots ahead of Damian Lillard… But like his Warriors counterpart, he has contributed in his own way to the 3-point shooting revolution.
“ Dame, along with Steph, are two of the great pioneers of the ultra-long 3-point shot. Terry Stotts is a very underrated coach, he made Dame work on things that allow him to shoot from distance easily. These 'pick-and-rolls' near half court and these 'pull-ups' after a dribble have become a habit. Steph's style is a little different, but people shouldn't forget Lady in History “, claims Rick Carlisle, who considers Lillard to be one of those who ” changed the game “.
| Damian Lillard | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2012-13 | POR | 82 | 39 | 42.9 | 36.8 | 84.4 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 6.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 19.1 |
| 2013-14 | POR | 82 | 36 | 42.4 | 39.4 | 87.1 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 20.7 |
| 2014-15 | POR | 82 | 36 | 43.4 | 34.3 | 86.4 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 21.0 |
| 2015-16 | POR | 75 | 36 | 41.9 | 37.5 | 89.2 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 25.1 |
| 2016-17 | POR | 75 | 36 | 44.4 | 37.0 | 89.5 | 0.6 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 27.0 |
| 2017-18 | POR | 73 | 37 | 43.9 | 36.1 | 91.6 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 26.9 |
| 2018-19 | POR | 80 | 36 | 44.4 | 36.9 | 91.2 | 0.9 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 25.8 |
| 2019-20 | POR | 66 | 38 | 46.3 | 40.1 | 88.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 8.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 30.0 |
| 2020-21 | POR | 67 | 36 | 45.1 | 39.1 | 92.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 28.8 |
| 2021-22 | POR | 29 | 36 | 40.2 | 32.4 | 87.8 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 24.0 |
| 2022-23 | POR | 58 | 36 | 46.3 | 37.1 | 91.4 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 7.3 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 32.2 |
| 2023-24 | MIL | 21 | 36 | 41.9 | 35.0 | 92.1 | 0.7 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 7.1 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 25.0 |
| Total | 790 | 36 | 43.9 | 37.2 | 89.6 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 25.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
