DeMarcus Cousins believes LaMelo Ball is outperforming Damian Lillard at this moment in time, with the former proving integral to keeping the Hornets afloat this season.
DeMarcus Cousins Says LaMelo Ball is Outperforming Damian Lillard
There are few players in the NBA in finer form than LaMelo Ball at this current moment.
Following his 12th game posting 30+ points against the Heat, Ball is now averaging the second-most points per-game behind Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Add to that 6.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 0.2 blocks per-game, along with strong shooting stats; 43.0% from the field and 84.8 from the free-throw line.
LaMelo is certainly not one to shy away from the points scoring responsibility either, and is attempting 24.9 shot attempts per-game. For reference, record-holder for most per-game in a single season – Allen Iverson – attempted just over 27.
In terms of point guards there a few who command the kind of respect Damian Lillard does, having posted consistent numbers for the better part of a decade.
However, speaking on the ‘Run it Back’ show, four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins not only believes Melo is a top-five point guard in the league, but he also claims he has surpassed Lillard.
Lamelo Ball this month:
31 PTS
36 PTS
19 PTS
25 PTS
31 PTS
38 PTS
35 PTS
26 PTS
31 PTS
12 PTS
35 PTS
50 PTS
44 PTSGetting into superstar talks.🔥 pic.twitter.com/mFsC80tJhS
— NBA World (@NBAW0RLD24) November 26, 2024
He said: “He [LaMelo] is for sure over Dame [Lillard] right now. In this moment, right now, I think LaMelo is outperforming Dame.
Even as he approaches veteran status Lillard has been coughing up impressive numbers, as per usual. 26.0 points, 7.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds across his two appearances means he has been a welcomed return from concussion protocols.
He continued by saying he’d still take Lillard based on his all-time performances, but admitted “in this moment, it’s LaMelo for me.”
A career high in points against the Bucks, where Damian Lillard lined up on the opposing side of the court, saw Ball rack up 50 points in one of the NBA’s finest individual performances this term.
Shining brightest in a Hornets team that has gone 6-12 this season shows his undeniable impact, but it certainly begs the question as to how long Charlotte can hold on to his talent – they are currently odds-on to not make the playoffs according to NBA sportsbooks.
As a franchise it has never been a conveyor belt for All-Stars, and given there is little support from the rest of the roster in terms of heavy points scoring, Ball could well look elsewhere if they miss the playoffs again this year.
