Damian Lillard teased half-court shots as a new weapon this season, then unleashed them in the All-Star game including a 40-foot game-winner
- Damian Lillard hit two half-court shots, including the game-winner, during the NBA All-Star Game.
- Lillard said before the season that he might take half-court shots, which he can hit with ease.
- Lillard's deep range impressed everyone from LeBron James to Stephen Curry to Paul George.
Damian Lillard wasn't kidding when he said his range extended out to half-court.
The Portland Trail Blazers guard on Sunday iced the NBA's All-Star Game with a 40-foot dagger, giving Team LeBron the win over Team Durant.
Earlier in the game, Lillard (and Stephen Curry) both pulled up from half-court and sank deep, deep three-pointers.
For Lillard - arguably the second-most fearsome shooter off the dribble behind Curry - this wasn't some novelty. Lillard told reporters before the season that he has the shot in his arsenal and might occasionally use it in games.
"Obviously, I'm not just going to be out here every game firing a shot from half court - or maybe not even every 20 games," Lillard said. "It might be once or twice in the whole season that I feel like … F it."
He added: "If I get in a game and I hit three, four 3s in a row? That's when you should have your eyes open because it might be going up from half court at that point."
Lillard was seen practicing deep threes and hitting them with ease:
How confident were other players that Lillard's All-Star-winning shot was going in? Curry was celebrating and waving goodbye to the crowd before the shot had gone in.
Lillard and Curry's shooting in the All-Star Game even impressed LeBron James.
James wasn't the only player impressed. Paul George - who witnessed Lillard hit a deep, step-back three to eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder from the 2019 playoffs, then called it a bad shot - admitted on Sunday that basically anything Lillard puts up is a good shot.
"Well I was criticized for the right reason for calling Dame's shot a bad shot. I mean, I see this guy's range and it's crazy," George said. "It's a great shot. Two thumbs up."