Damian Lillard Praised by LeBron James, Draymond Green for Playoff Run

Damian Lillard Draymond Green LeBron James Instagram

Getty Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard gave NBA fans and more specifically, Portland Trail Blazers fans, a wild and exciting ride through the playoffs. While the team’s season ended after a tough Game 4 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, Lillard and the Blazers as a whole received high praise.

Some expected Portland to fall to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round, but a 37-foot buzzer-beater in Game 5 by Lillard ended the series and was among the best moments thus far in the postseason. But after defeating the Denver Nuggets in seven games, Portland couldn’t get it done against Golden State, even though they were close to picking up multiple wins in the series.

After the loss on Monday, Lillard sent a strong message on Instagram showing love to his team and also praising the Warriors. Following the post, Warriors forward Draymond Green and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James were among those to respond with a tip of the cap to Lillard, as CBC Athletes revealed.

View this post on Instagram

Game recognize Dame. #CommentsByCelebs

A post shared by CBC Athletes (@cbcathletes) on May 21, 2019 at 9:11am PDT

Lillard’s message after the tough Game 4 loss offers optimism on what lies ahead for the Blazers.

“So much to be thankful for… highs and lows… proud of what we accomplished this year! We will keep building. Much respect to the @warriors … see you next year #RipCity”

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Damian Lillard’s Stellar Season & Playoff Performance

After posting marks of 25.8 points, a career-high 6.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game during the regular season, Lillard kept it rolling into postseason play. He averaged 26.9 points, 6.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds through 16 playoff games, and played a good portion of the Western Conference Finals with a separated rib.

Lillard’s performance in the first round against the Thunder was simply excellent, as he scored 24 or more points in every game while topping the 29-point mark in four of five. The series wrapped up on Lillard’s previously-mentioned game-winner over Paul George, which gave him 50 points on the night.


Damian Lillard Expected to Receive Supermax Contract Extension

Less than 24 hours after the Blazers were eliminated from the playoffs, it was revealed that a new contract extension will likely be coming for Lillard. Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports was the first to report the news.

Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers are expected to come to terms over the summer on a four-year, $191 million supermax contract extension, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Lillard would officially qualify for the supermax if he’s voted to one of the three All-NBA Teams, which is virtually a lock for the four-time All-Star.

Lillard’s current deal has two years remaining on it with a total salary of $62 million. As Haynes reveals, the new deal would likely include a player option and leave him under contract with the Blazers for six more years, making him 34 years old when it expires.

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