Damian Lillard Lands in Top 25 of SI NBA Rankings

For the third year in a row, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has placed high in the Sports Illustrated NBA player rankings.

Lillard jumped from 24 to 21 this season, with Rob Mahoney praising Lillard’s willingness to fire from anywhere on the court, and the focus he displays when shooting.

"Lillard isn’t shy about stepping into long three-pointers or pulling up early on defenses daft enough to give him room. He keeps his balance and his wits about him on the toughest of shots, finding ways to connect on a larger percentage than would seem reasonable. The volume of what Lillard can generate is more than enough to lead an offense and the range of looks he creates is more than enough to keep it viable."

Lillard averaged a career-high 25.1 points and 6.8 assists per game last season, leading Portland to the fifth seed in the Western Conference. He ranked 22nd in the 2014-2015 rankings.

Other Blazers making it into the Top 100 were Mason Plumlee at 93 and CJ McCollum at 50.

[This story was also posted by QyntelWoods in the Fanshots]