Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/28/2019

The NBA playoffs are winnowing down to the elite, and one of the elite that's been underrepresented is the Portland Trailblazers Damian Lillard.  The veteran guard without superstar help, has continuously led his teams to playoff berths, and in this case, dramatic victories.  Lillard had what many have called one of the best playoff games in NBA history.  In a closeout game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Lillard delivered the fatal blow.  A 37-foot cold blooded 3 pointer in a tie game.  This capped off a 50 point masterpiece, in which he hit 10-18 three-pointers.  Will this be the year that the Blazers surge to a Western Conference Final?  Lillard will be tough to beat.

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/1/2016

Another busy sports week with a number of huge playoff games in the NBA.  One team took control of an injury-laden Los Angeles Clippers and surged to the second round despite not having home field.  Led by Damian Lillard, the Portland Trailblazers won four straight games to move on an face the World Champion Golden State Warriors.  After losing high profile free agent LaMarcus Aldridge and a number of other key pieces from last year, Lillard stepped up his game.  In the final three contests against the Blazers, Lillard netted 62 points to lead the way.  In the opener against the Warriors, he scored 30 points in a losing effort.  Most impressive he was behind the line, going 15-35 for the four games during the week.  Lillard may have been snubbed for the All-Star team, but he's our Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/27/2014

The NBA playoffs were in full force this week, and our Sportsman this Week was dominant in carrying his team to a 3-1 series lead.  LaMarcus Aldridge was an unstoppable force in leading the Portland Trailblazers to a 3-1 series lead against the Houston Rockets, including three OT games.  His 35.3 PPG leads the NBA playoff scoring by a full five points (and obviously his team has needed all of them).  In the three wins, he shoots 57% from the field with 12 boards and 3 blocks.  His performance has certainly set the tone for Rip City and is worthy of the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!