Best Moments from Damian Lillard's Rookie of the Year Season

Having averaged 19.0 points, 6.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game for the 2012-13 season, it's no surprise that 22-year-old point guard Damian Lillard was named Rookie of the Year for the season. 

Yes, he had countless solid games. Yes, he proved himself worthy of a starting position on the Portland Trail Blazers squad. Let's take a look at five of Lillard's top moments in his debut season. 

His 35 Points Against the Spurs

Lillard had an incredible game against the San Antonio Spurs on March 8, helping his squad to a 136-106 win. Lillard totaled an incredible 35 points, three rebounds and nine assists during the game.

Of the game, Lillard gushed confidently to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, “When I was scoring and making plays, I felt like we were going to be fine. If you need the bucket, I was going to be able to get the bucket. If we needed a play to be made, I was going to be able to do it. I felt like I could get places and make things happen.”

His Dunk Against the Timberwolves

Lillard played another solid game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 2, registering 24 points and pushing his team to a 109-96 victory.

Most notable about his performance, though, was his huge dunk with 3:15 left in the second period. Lillard looked incredibly powerful and unstoppable as he guided the ball into the hoop, putting Portland up 46-35 over the Timberwolves. 

His 3-Pointer Against the Bucks

Even though the Trail Blazers lost 110-104 to the Milwaukee Bucks on January 19, Lillard still had a stellar game. He grabbed 26 points and 10 assists.

Lillard was particularly successful in three-point shooting during this game. Just before the third-quarter buzzer, he hit a three-pointer to make the score 84-73 Milwaukee going into the fourth.

Furthermore, he helped his team catch up to the Bucks by contributing to Portland’s 12-0 run in the fourth quarter by hitting another three-point shot. Clearly, Portland can count on Lillard outside the arc.

His Dunk Against the Wizards

On January 21, the Trail Blazers just barely lost to the Washington Wizards at home in Portland with a final score of 98-95.

The brightest moment of hope for a win came when Damian Lillard’s dunk brought the Trail Blazers within one point of the Wizards with only 2:21 left on the clock. Against Washington, Lillard totaled 18 points, three rebounds and five assists in 38 minutes. 

His Game-Winner Against the Hornets

Perhaps Lillard’s most star-quality moment came as the clock winded down on December 16 during the faceoff between the Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Hornets. With only minimal time left, the game was tied 92-92.

That was until Damian Lillard heaved up a beautiful 26-foot three-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining to make it 95-92 Portland. The Hornets grabbed two more points to make the final score 95-94, but the game was still very much a win for Portland, and especially for Lillard.