Actually, the real Damian Lillard has stepped up for the Blazers.  He’s a rookie from Weber State.  Where? Located in Ogden the 25,000 of the student body were brought to their feet game after game when Lillard would drive the lane.  Now, Lillard has Blazer fans on their feet!

This season Lillard’s stats look like that of a seasoned point-guard, not one of a rookie.  He’s averaging 19.3 ppg and 8 apg, it’s what Lilllard brings to the court not to the stat board that has Blazer fans excited for the future of the franchise.  You’d never know by his humble demeanor that Lillard and Oscar Robertson are the only players in NBA history with at least 20 points and 7 assists in their first 3 career games.  In fact, while he was being mentioned in the same sentence of one of the NBA greats, Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) was tweeting “Mitch Richmond just called me Willard like 4 times on NBA TV. “

Damian struggled in the Blazers’ last game vs the Mavs, but Blazer head coach, Terry Stotts, stands behind his rookie and tells him to keep shooting the ball.  Lillard is a rare talent and one that has been absent from the Blazer line-up for quite some time, he drives, he dishes, and he scores.  It’s no wonder he’s already being touted as the NBA Rookie of the Year.

There are going to be mistakes.  There are going to be off nights.  Those are to be expected.  But like Damian said on Twitter following the Blazer loss to Dallas “My head gone always be up . #Growth”

And that’s why Rip City is happy to have the real Damian Lillard running the show in Portland.