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Damian Lillard Is NBA's Next Rising Star Who Must Rebuild Reputation on Defense

Damian Lillard's offense has finally come around. After making just 10 of his 37 field-goal attempts in Games 1 and 2 (losses to the Memphis Grizzlies), the 24-year-old exploded for a postseason career-high 32 points in Monday night's 99-92 Game 4 victory.

"He showed why he is one of the best point guards in this league," teammate Nicolas Batum told reporters after the contest, per Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com.

But there's long been a caveat to Lillard's status as an emergent floor general: that nagging matter of his pedigree on the defensive end.