Damian Lillard might not be a starter in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, but he’s tight in the race for NBA MVP this season, according to Michael J Chandler and Jonathan Soveta of The Score. The duo compile a regular ranking of MVP candidates, and Lillard’s recent play is moving him up the list.
They explain Lillard’s accomplishments in the absence of fellow starters CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic:
In 14 contests without both McCollum and Nurkic, Lillard has registered 31.9 points, 8.6 assists, and four rebounds per game while keeping Portland in the playoff hunt in a wildly competitive conference.