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With 48 wins and a solid chance at home court in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, the Trail Blazers have exceeded all expectations this season. That doesn’t mean the team’s best player should be in the MVP conversation– at least according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor.
In an article hailing Houston Rockets guard James Harden as the MVP, Damian Lillard was left off O’Connor’s top five players in the hunt. Here are his rankings:
1. James Harden
2. LeBron James
3. Anthony Davis
4. LaMarcus Aldridge
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo
The notable inclusion here is Aldridge, who is unarguably having his best season with the Spurs since leaving Portland in 2015.
O’Connor redeemed himself by including Lillard on his 2nd All-NBA Team. He made the cut over Ben Simmons and DeMar Derozan who both made the 3rd All-NBA Team. O’Connor touched on what put Lillard above the guards from the East:
Lillard is a lock to make it at guard, so it was a matter of finding the right team for him. I gave him an edge over DeRozan because of his superior scoring efficiency and playmaking. Lillard channeled 2015-16 Steph Curry for a few weeks to propel the Blazers into the West’s 3-seed.
Should Aldridge be above Lillard in the MVP race? Is 2nd All-NBA Team the right spot for Lillard? Let us know in the comments.