Can Damian Lillard handle newfound pressure?
The Portland Trail Blazers are lucky to have Damian Lillard as their starting point guard. He's a dynamic scorer who's made two All-Star games in three seasons.
But with LaMarcus Aldridge out of the picture, Lillard's about to experience a different level of pressure as the nightly number one option in Portland's offense.
Here, Sports on Earth's Michael Pina has a look at whether Lillard can handle his new responsibilities:
"There are no promises, but Lillard's immediate future is visible. There's no good reason why he won't lead the NBA in minutes next season. He'll take more shots than everybody else and boast a usage percentage that Russell Westbrook will envy. He'll have a green light on every single possession and attack defenses that are locked into stopping him and him alone. It will require patience. People will be looking for Lillard to score tons of points and help cultivate guys like Vonleh and Mason Plumlee."
Lillard went from being the (extremely gifted) sidekick in a veteran ensemble to a leading man surrounded by a young, inexperienced roster. The adjustment won't come easy, especially as the Trail Blazers go from championship contenders to a lottery team over the next couple seasons.
All eyes will stay on Lillard no matter what. Can he handle it?
(h/t: Sports on Earth)
