Damian Lillard is having a very good season with the Portland Trail Blazers and the All-Star point guard is getting tired of not getting the love that other players receive from fans and media members. He’s found his way to the MVP ladders and depending on how he ends the season, he could have a good case to win the coveted award.
During a recent interview with ESPN’s Jalen and Jacoby, Dame talked about his chances to win the MVP and why he thinks he doesn’t get the same attention as other stars. Playing in a small market and at its hours have affected his chances to get more recognition around the league, the player said.
“I am not a loud person and don’t go out there and celebrate after everything that I do. I don’t make crazy statements and people get bored with consistency. If you look at my career, every year, I find something to get better at. I find a way to make my team win and I don’t make a big uproar about it. Don’t do anything crazy to draw attention to myself, I just get the job done,” he explained.
But, make no mistake about it, Lillard is convinced he has a pretty solid case this season and explained why people don’t think his performances are good enough to grant him the prize, who last won Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“They would see how I am being face-guarded full court and double-teamed on half court. Some games, I can’t even get shot attempts up. Oh yeah, we had 15 points or 14 points but I was 4 for 10 because I literally can’t find a look at the rim,” Dame added.
“People are just not being defended the way I am,” he reiterated. “And I think I have a stronger case this year than I ever have. I think I am deserving of it. That’s just the truth,” he concluded.
As he said, he’s not the loudest player in the NBA and he tries to not entertain debates around the league but it’s time for people to stop paying more attention to Dame and the things he does on the court every night. Recently, Rasheed Wallace picked him as his 2021 MVP since he’s played most games, unlike big candidates like Joel Embiid. Even when he was without CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic, Dame stepped up and led his team to compete in the West.
Right now, it seems like Nikola Jokic is getting more MVP buzz than the Trail Blazers star but the next couple of weeks will be very important for Dame if he wants to solidify his case for the award.
