Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has been named an NBA Western Conference All-Star reserve by a vote of NBA head coaches, it was announced today by the league.
Lillard, who was named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for Week 14, is averaging 25.2 points (43.6% FG, 36.4% 3-PT, 91.7% FT), 4.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.03 steals.
Lillard is one of four NBA players averaging at least 25.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists this season (Curry, Harden, James). He is the only player in the NBA who has totaled at least 1,000 points, 190 rebounds, 260 assists and 110 three-pointers this season.
Despite missing seven games to injury, Lillard ranks in the top 15 in total points (1,007), total assists (265), three-pointers made (117) and free throws made (232). Among league qualifiers, Lillard is one of just four NBA players to rank in the top 10 in both points and assists per game.
An NBA All-Star in 2014 and 2015, Lillard is one of six players in franchise history to become a three-time All-Star.
The five starters in the Western Conference, decided by player, media and fan balloting, consist of DeMarcus Cousins (New Orleans), Stephen Curry (Golden State), Anthony Davis (New Orleans), Kevin Durant (Golden State) and James Harden (Houston). Rounding out the West’s reserves are LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio), Jimmy Butler (Minnesota), Draymond Green (Golden State), Klay Thompson (Golden State), Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota) and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City).
As respective ballot winners from each conference, Curry will join Cleveland’s LeBron James as the captains charged with drafting each team under the NBA’s new All-Star format. They will choose from a player pool that includes the eight other starters, with no regard to conference designation, and 14 reserves (seven from each conference), chosen by NBA head coaches. Team rosters will be revealed on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. (Pacific) on TNT.
The 2018 NBA All-Star Game will tip-off at 5 p.m. (Pacific) on Sunday, Feb. 18, in Los Angeles. The game will air live on TNT.