This may sound counterintuitive, but Portland Trail Blazers fans should cross their fingers that Damian Lillard gets snubbed from the Western Conference All-Star team.
Lillard, the third-year superstar point guard who won Rookie of the Year honors in his maiden campaign and followed that up with his first All-Star berth last season, is a near-lock to have his name called when the All-Star reserves are announced Thursday.
But if his name isn't called, the omission will add more fuel to his fire.
"If I do make it, I’ll be excited," Lillard said, according to NBA.com's Casey Holdahl. "I’m looking forward to being in another All-Star game. If I don’t, I’m going to be pissed off and you’ll see a re-energized Damian Lillard after the break. I’ll be re-energized anyway, but if I don’t make it, you’ll see it even more."
Lillard has played in every game this season for the Northwest Division-leading Blazers - he's yet to miss a game in his career - averaging 22 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists with a career-best 57.4 true shooting percentage.
Still, with a glut of deserving, uber-talented point guards in the Western Conference vying for reserve spots, including Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Mike Conley and Eric Bledsoe, there are no guarantees.
"I wouldn’t say nervous," Lillard said of waiting to hear if he gets tapped. "I feel like I’ve done what I needed to do. Anxious? A little bit, just to see if it’s going to happen or not. I feel like it is, but there’s nothing like that moment when it actually does. That’s kind of what I’m waiting for."
