Whenever Steph Curry is around, Damian Lillard seems unable to bask in the limelight. Lillard must feel a sense of competition or even inferiority as he adds another impressive feat to his career, winning the 3-point contest for the second year in a row, only to have the league center an entire event around Curry.

What was traditionally a significant Saturday night event was overshadowed by the presence of Curry, the unparalleled long-range shooter of this era. Curry has consistently upstaged Lillard during All-Star breaks, regular season games, and playoffs over the past decade.

Even when Lillard achieves something noteworthy, Curry manages to steal the spotlight. Just moments after Lillard’s victory, Curry was already displaying a 3-point belt on his shoulder at midcourt, hailed as the king of the 3-point line.

In 2021, the All-Star showcase transformed into a long-distance competition that saw Lillard hitting the game-winning shot from the logo. The following year, Curry responded with an impressive 50-point performance.

Up until 2014, Lillard and Curry appeared to be on similar paths, both emerging as key players for prominent West Coast teams. However, Golden State’s dominance began, leaving Lillard in Curry’s shadow.

In a way, Dame is resembling the Dominique Wilkins of our time, with Curry constantly overshadowing him much like Wilkins was overshadowed by Jordan. Every era has its rivalries. In the 80s, it was Wilkins and Jordan. T-Mac played second fiddle to Kobe. Carmelo’s rivalry with LeBron faded quickly.

After Golden State swept Portland in the Western Conference Finals in 2019, while Draymond Green and Klay Thompson nursed injuries throughout the year, Lillard proceeded to go 35-39 during the bubble season.

Two days after infamously saying, “He’s [Curry] seeing that it’s tough to get those quality looks,” Curry dropped a 62-point nuke on the Blazers.

A year later, Curry secured his fourth championship once everyone was back at full strength in 2022. Lillard now has his own Kevin Durant in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Yet, even as Curry leads a struggling team, Lillard continues to face criticism. There’s little positive talk surrounding Lillard’s career.

This was meant to be the year where Lillard overcame Curry. However, the Bucks have struggled, losing seven of their last eleven games since Doc Rivers took over for Adrian Griffin. Lillard’s defense has come under fire, tarnishing the team’s reputation for defensive effort under the previous leadership.

Unfortunately, Curry’s brilliance has often overshadowed Lillard’s achievements. With their All-Star appearances dwindling, Lillard must find a way to combat his Curry dilemma, perhaps with a standout performance in the Conference Finals or the NBA Finals.