Strange autumn-winter break obliges, TrashTalk is looking this year at… 74 individual profiles. Why 74? Oh, nothing to do with Haute-Savoie eh, despite the adoration of some for the Sainte-Raclette, but rather because these analyzes will take us quietly towards 2021. Because yes, we confirm it to you, this sordid year 2020 will soon touch its end, it was about time. Focus today on the one and only Bubble MVP in history, Damian Lillard. Does it add a lot of points to a file to enter the Hall of Fame?
Huge during the whole month of August to qualify the Blazers in the Playoffs, he had to leave Disney World in a hurry to treat a dislocated finger and especially a knee that has died out by dint of planting both feet in the mortar to try his luck 12 meters from the circle. But this experience in the bubble only confirmed one thing: Lady should have embodied the Human Torch in Fantastic Four.
It was almost mission impossible, with eight games to catch up to a 3.5-game win over the Grizzlies. Moreover, the Blazers were not very hot, finding themselves alone against all when voting against this crappy recovery plan in Orlando (29 votes for, 1 vote against). In the end, they still agreed to take up the challenge and we were not disappointed. Portland finishes the seeding games with a record of six wins for two losses, enough to regain eighth place at the Oursons and send them on vacation from their first opposition to the play-in tournament. The formula has so packed spectators that the NBA is tempted to keep it for next season. Even if Lillou loves it, he still hopes that the Blazers’ regular season will allow him to rest a little before the 2021 Playoffs. Because the point guard had literally had to give everything to extend the season of Portland as he had promised when he landed in Florida. To celebrate her appearance on the cover of the upcoming NBA 2K, Dame made it big: last three seeding games at 51.3 points and 48.8% of parking average, including a third point at 60 pawns or more in the season. Unheard of since Wilt Chamberlain. Too bad for the elimination in the first round against the future champions, the Lakers were still afraid at 0-1 in the series and the Blazers season was already saved.
From the start of the school year, the Bubble MVP will want us to continue to respect his name. No featuring with Diam’s or Caba & JeanJass, the fault of a shortened offseason. Rap fans will still be able to remake his three albums or his last single in tribute to Kobe while waiting for the cover which should once again rhyme with madness concerning the native of Oakland. Those who follow him on the networks have noticed it, he is already sweating profusely in training while waiting to be able to release his next mixtape on the floors. Pigeon shooting, Thai boxing and hip-hop punctuate his weeks while waiting to know what sauce he can eat his opponents in 2020-21. With another five years of contract in Portland and a promise hammered in the media that he will never budge from his adopted Oregon, Damian Lillard approaches the next few weeks rather calmly on a personal level. Collectively, he can’t wait to see how Neil Olshey can surround him to do better than a first round of the Playoffs and become the second man to hoist Rip City to the title. With the Blazers hype in the bubble, many were already seeing the Lakers undergoing an upset but the end result still highlighted some gaps in the squad beyond injury. If Jusuf Nurkic seems to be the big man of the future in Portland, Hassan Whietside should leave for new horizons and the name of CJ McCollum returns in many rumors while it will also be necessary to settle the file of Melo who is in awe of Dame.
In short, the 2K curse is expected to end this year but it could move around the point guard. At 30 years old, time is running out to surround the best rapper on the NBA circuit in his prime. And with $ 54 million in annual salary in 2023-24, that’s not when the Blazers will be able to get the best deals. GM has never been cautious when it comes to making big moves and he should not change his credo this winter. As it stands and even with an MVP caliber player in the person of Damian Lillard, Portland does not have the roster to come out of the Playoffs in the West alive. Something must therefore be changed as soon as possible so as not to add his name to the long list of cracks of his generation who hung up the sneakers and the microphone without a ring on their finger. And since the leader has taken the oath of allegiance to his franchise, it is up to her to put everything at her disposal to facilitate her quest. Even if it means parting with some of his most faithful knights …
- Hype gauge upon arrival in the League: 75%
- Current Hype Gauge: 90%
- Hall of Fame entry gauge: 70%
- The one he would like to become: Bill Walton, the local hero since 1977
- The one he hopes not to become: Chris Paul, a Top 3 leaders of his generation without a ring
The years go by and Damian Lillard consolidates his status as a genius of his sport. Married in Portland until the end of his career, he must now fight monotony to achieve his ultimate goal: give everything to lead the Blazers to the top of the NBA pyramid, even if it means leaving his body there.
