Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard: Leads team in scoring in preseason opener

Lillard posted a team-high 16 points (6-12 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 3-3 FT) and added five assists and one rebound over 23 minutes in Monday's 98-89 preseason win over the Jazz.

Analysis:

As is standard practice for most teams during the preseason, Lillard saw limited playing time in the Blazers' exhibition opener, but was still able to do some damage on the offensive end while shooting the ball well from the field and free-throw line. The departure of LaMarcus Aldridge last season allowed Lillard to take on an even greater role in the offense and aided him to a career-best mark of 25.1 points per game, but with the Blazers' roster looking deeper in the backcourt heading into 2016-17, another noticeable jump in Lillard's production shouldn't be expected.