Damian Lillard on Doncic’s progression: “Amazing”

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard spoke with reporters after the team’s 120-112 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Lillard totaled 34 points and 10 assists, while Mavericks star Luka Doncic finished with 35 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.

“Amazing,” began Lillard when asked about Doncic’s progression in the past two years. “Arguably the MVP of the league right now. His team is winning. He’s dominating game after game. Great pace. He’s scoring, passing, and rebounding. But, I think it just shows that he’s been playing pro for a long time. He’s a second-year player, but he’s not a second-year pro. And I think it’s very obvious.”

The Blazers have faced numerous amount injuries all season. They currently sit 10th in the Western Conference standings and have their eyes set on nabbing a playoff spot.

“I mean, just keep playing,” says Lillard of their playoff hopes. “We know that it’s still alive. It’s not like we’re just all the way at the bottom of the standings. It’s two wins, and another team loses two times and we’re right there. You just gotta have an understanding of the fight that you’re in, and we understand that. So, we just gotta stay with it. It’s going to be some hard times. There’s probably going to be more to come. But, we just gotta stay resilient and keep believing that we’re going to overcome it at some point.”