[外電] Damian Lillard aims to become first ro
Damian Lillard aims to become first rookie guard since Michael Jordan to make
NBA All-Star team
Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose didn't
make the NBA All-Star Game as rookies. Kyrie Irving made a valiant effort
last season, but also didn't get picked.
No guard, in fact, has been selected to play in the annual All-Star Game
since Michael Jordan 28 years ago.
Damian Lillard is averaging 18.5 points and 6.5 assists this season. (USA
Today Sports)
Damian Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers' rookie point guard, would like to
end that streak. He's made a growing case for himself this season, most
recently with a 37-point performance against the Golden State Warriors.
"That says everything when Michael Jordan was the last guard to do it," said
Lillard, who was born in 1990.
Lillard has already established himself as the likely choice for Rookie of
the Year based on his work in the first half of the season. He's averaging
18.5 points, 6.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds. He has been named the Western
Conference's Rookie of the Month for November and December and has eight
games of at least 20 points and seven assists. He's also helped the Blazers,
who finished 28-38 last season, to a winning record.
"Any time a rookie is playing at the level he is playing at with the poise
that he is playing with, it's going to grab everyone's attention," Sacramento
Kings coach Keith Smart said. "Are all the Western guards playing at a great
level? Chris Paul is at a super level. [Russell] Westbrook is in there. All
those guys keep moving up. Can [Lillard] possibly be there based on where he
is right now? Maybe, maybe not.
"But his team is winning, he's playing at a great level, and everybody sees
the poise as a young point guard and how he runs a basketball team. So it
heightens people's attention and the possibility depending on how the votes
go."
[Also: Michael Jordan's nephew fist pumps just like his uncle]
Barring a late push by voters for Jeremy Lin to start in the All-Star Game in
Houston, Paul and Bryant are expected to be the starting West guards after
fan balloting ends Monday. The West coaches will later pick seven reserves.
Westbrook, Houston's James Harden and San Antonio's Tony Parker appear to
have a strong shot to land possible guard spots. Other guard candidates
include Golden State's Stephen Curry, the Clippers' Jamal Crawford and
Lillard.
"Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul – I think they are all definite
All-Stars," Lillard said. "It will be tough for me being a rookie and those
guys putting in so much more time than I have."
Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas was voted in as a starting guard in the 1982 NBA
All-Star Game as a rookie with the Detroit Pistons. Jordan and Thomas were
voted in by the fans after entering the NBA following successful, popular
college careers.
"It was huge. I can't even describe the proper words that I felt when I made
it that first year," Thomas said. "It was beyond belief because as a kid
growing up, I never saw myself being one of them, in terms of an All-Star. To
get voted on, you need a great appeal in terms of the fans. It's not only
about your game, but it's about your fan appeal and likeability."
[Also: Blazers' J.J. Hickson makes ridiculously bad pass]
Michael Jordan was the last rookie guard to play in the NBA All-Star Game.
(Getty Images)
Lillard entered the NBA from Weber State and was largely unknown to casual
fans. Thomas believes Lillard deserves All-Star consideration from West
coaches who pick the reserves. Blazers forwards LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas
Batum are also candidates, and there is certainly debate on whether the
franchise deserves more than one All-Star.
"They're winning and [Lillard] has that Portland franchise in a position to
make the playoffs this year," Thomas said.
Since 1985, the only rookies, regardless of position, to make the All-Star
Game are New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing (1986), San Antonio Spurs
center David Robinson (1990), Denver Nuggets center Dikembe Mutombo (1992),
Orlando Magic center Shaquille O'Neal (1993), Detroit Pistons forward Grant
Hill (1995), San Antonio forward Tim Duncan (1998), Houston Rockets center
Yao Ming (2003) and the Clippers' Blake Griffin (2011).
Even as heralded as LeBron James was when he entered the NBA as the No. 1
pick 10 years ago, he wasn't a rookie All-Star. James hasn't forgotten either.
"There are big-time players in both conferences," James said. "It's tough.
It's tough for coaches to vote in a rookie no matter what they're doing
because you have veterans doing just as much or even more. I was hoping I
would be a part of it. I was playing well. We were winning enough games, but
once again they went with a veteran. I think Jamaal Magloire was the last one
to get in.
"I was upset because I wanted to be there. But you got to earn your stripes."
Lillard isn't holding his breath.
"The league is about seniority sometimes," Lillard said, "and they've all
done what I am doing now."
Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose，以上這些
偉大的後衛有一個共同點：他們都沒能在自己的新秀賽季入選全明星賽。上賽季的最佳新
秀Kyrie Irving也曾為之努力過，但最終還是失敗了。事實上，自從 Michael Jordan 之
後這長達28年的時間裡，NBA中沒有一名後衛可以在新秀賽季入選全明星賽。
然而本賽季，波特蘭拓荒者隊的新秀控衛Damian Lillard有望將這一“魔咒”終結。
特別是在最近一場對陣勇士隊的比賽中狂砍37分，他再次向世人證明了自己的實力。
“我知道這個紀錄很難破，畢竟上一個做到的人Michael Jordan。”生於1990年的
Lillard說道。
憑藉本賽季開始以來的出色表現，Lillard無疑成為最佳新秀的熱門候選，他場均可
以得到18.5分、6.5次助攻和3.5個籃板。在去年11月和12月，他均被提名為西部月最佳新
秀，而且已經在8場比賽中至少得到20分和7次助攻。在他的帶領下，上賽季僅取得28勝38
負的拓荒者隊，目前以20勝17負排在西部第8位。
“任何時候一名新秀如果可以打到這種水準，他必然會引起外界的關注。”國王隊主
帥Keith Smart如此評價Lillard，“在目前的西部，真正高水準的控衛我認為只有
Chris Paul 和Westbrook 。Lillard能否達到這一標準？也許可以，也許不行。”
“但他的球隊勝率超過了五成，所有人都看到了他的表現以及他是如何帶領球隊的。
至於他能否入選全明星賽，這得看最終的投票情況了。”
從目前的情況來看，Paul 和 Bryant 已經坐穩西部全明星首發後場的位置。最終極
有可能被西部教練選入全明星替補陣容的後衛包括Westbrook, James Harden和 Tony
Parker 。另外的一些候選人則包括勇士隊的 Curry, and Lillard、快艇隊的Jamal
Crawford以及拓荒者隊的Lillard。
“Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul，我認為他們是當之無愧的全明星
。”Lillard說道，“作為一名新秀，我和他們之間是有距離的。”
早在1982年的時候，活塞隊的 Isiah Thomas 就曾以新秀後衛的身份入選了全明星賽
。“當時我簡直都無法用語言形容自己激動的心情。”湯瑪斯回憶道，“小時候，我從沒
想過自己有朝一日可以成為全明星球員。更何況若想入圍，你必須得到眾多球迷的投票支
持，因為能否入選全明星賽不僅僅只在於你的比賽，更在於你的人氣。”
和Thomas相比，剛進聯盟時的Lillard顯得有些名不見經傳。但是作為前輩的Thomas
相信Lillard有實力成為西部全明星陣容的替補。再加上鋒線上的LaMarcus Aldridge
and Nicolas Batum，屆時可能不止一位拓荒者球員進入全明星陣容。
“拓荒者的勝率超過五成。而且在Lillard的帶領下，他們在今年有望衝擊季後賽。
”湯瑪斯說道。
論名氣，當初剛進NBA的LBJ斯被稱為“天之驕子”，雖然他不是後衛，但是在新秀賽
季也沒能入選全明星陣容。對於這段經歷，詹姆斯當然不會忘記。
“作為新秀來說，不管你打得有多麼出色，要想在新秀賽季被教練選入全明星，是一
件極其困難的事情。畢竟，你是在和許多資歷比你更深的老將一起競爭。”他回憶道，“
我當時希望自己可以入選，因為我覺得自己打得不錯，而且我們球隊也贏得了足夠多的比
賽。但最終，他們還是選擇了一位老將。如果沒記錯的話，當時最後一名入選的東部替補是
Jamaal Magloire 。
對於前輩們的經驗之談，Lillard表示：“我現在也很擔心，因為我十分希望自己可
以入選。但很多時候，這個聯盟還是更看重資歷。”
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--damian-lillard-aims-to-be-first-rookie-guard-since-michael-jordan-to-make-nba-all-star-team-041408832.html
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