Is Lillard surpassing Curry?
Portland guard thriving without 2 key teammates
For well more than half a decade, Portland guard Damian Lillard often heard some variation of the same reaction whenever he delivered a dazzling performance: “You’re just like Steph!”
This was intended as a compliment, given that Warriors guard Stephen Curry is a generational player who spearheaded a dynasty. But Lillard, like almost all great players, is supremely selfconfident. To him, the suggestion that he is similar to Curry is akin to saying that Lillard is a knockoff version.
Midway through his ninth NBA season, Lillard finally has stopped hearing that he is Curryesque. The national discussion has morphed into whether Lillard is better than Curry, which, regardless of
Draymond Green practiced fully Tuesday and will play Wednesday in Portland, according to Warriors head coach Steve Kerr — an update that quells fears after an ankleinjury scare Green endured against the Lakers.
With less than five minutes remaining in the second quarter Sunday, Green rolled his ankle after contesting a layup by guard Kentavious CaldwellPope. Green tried to hobble down the court, but was eventually replaced during a Warriors timeout by Juan ToscanoAnderson.
The Warriors said Green didn’t play during the second half of the 11791 loss because of a sprained left ankle, but there was no indication the injury was serious.
“I talked to him at halftime,” Kerr said after Sunday’s game. “He didn’t think it was too bad.”
This is a different injury than the “right ankle soreness” that the Warriors said caused Green to miss the Feb. 17 game against Miami.
There was also a right knee issue Feb. 13 against Brooklyn, when Green landed awkwardly while contesting a shot and squirmed on the court for an extended time before heading to the locker room.
Green is averaging 5.7 points, 6 rebounds and 8.5 assists after missing training camp and the exhibition season because of coronavirus protocols.
In the game prior to the injury against the Lakers, Green had a tripledouble against Charlotte, including a careerbest 19 assists to highlight a historic month. In February, the power forward/center had nine games of at least 10 assists and averaged 10.6 per game.