Damian Lillard vs Desmond Bane: who to start in Week 3
Damian Lillard plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Desmond Bane 3. For that week alone, start Damian Lillard: 127.5 projected fantasy points to 96.5 for Desmond Bane. Over the season, Desmond Bane leads in both formats: 32.2 fantasy points a game to 31.9, and 48th against 136th in 9-cat. The two go close together on our board, which is our own ranking order from 2025-26 and 2026-27 box scores, not ADP.
Updated Nov 3, 2:36 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #75
- 31.9 FP/G, slot 7.03, $13
- 9-cat leagues
- #136
- -2.0 z, slot 12.04, $4
- Points leagues
- #73
- 32.2 FP/G, slot 7.01, $14
- 9-cat leagues
- #48
- +0.4 z, slot 4.12, $18
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Desmond Bane. 32.2 fantasy points per game against 31.9, 73rd on our board to 75th.
9-cat leagues: Desmond Bane again, +0.4 in summed z-scores against -2.0 (48th to 136th).
Category by category, Damian Lillard is ahead in 4 (REB, AST, 3PM and TO) and Desmond Bane in 4 (STL, BLK, FG% and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Damian Lillard produces more: 39.3 fantasy points to 34.1, on 29.2 minutes a night against 34.0. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Damian Lillard plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Desmond Bane 3. For that week alone, start Damian Lillard: 127.5 projected fantasy points to 96.5 for Desmond Bane.
Slots are where our board's order lands in a 12-team snake draft (round.pick), and dollars are auction value over replacement for 12 teams with $200 each. Neither is ADP: no free draft-position feed lets us republish it.
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Damian Lillard | Desmond Bane |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 31.9 | 32.2 |
| Minutes | 29.2 | 34.0 |
| PointsPTS | 19.3 | 19.4 |
| ReboundsREB | 4.3 | 3.9 |
| AssistsAST | 4.0 | 3.6 |
| StealsSTL | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.2 | 0.6 |
| Threes3PM | 2.8 | 2.5 |
| Field goal %FG% | 39.8% | 45.3% |
| Free throw %FT% | 80.5% | 89.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 0 | 82 |
Bold is the better number. The line blends 2025-26 with 2026-27 games as they are played, the same numbers the rankings use.
Per 36 minutes
| Per 36 | Damian Lillard | Desmond Bane |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 39.3 | 34.1 |
| Points | 23.9 | 20.5 |
| Rebounds | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Assists | 4.9 | 3.8 |
| Steals | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| Blocks | 0.2 | 0.6 |
| Threes | 3.5 | 2.7 |
| Turnovers | 2.7 | 2.4 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Damian Lillard | Desmond Bane |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.5 | +0.5 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.6 | -0.8 |
| AssistsAST | +0.1 | -0.1 |
| StealsSTL | -0.2 | -0.1 |
| BlocksBLK | -1.0 | -0.2 |
| Threes3PM | +1.2 | +0.8 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -1.8 | -0.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.1 | +1.2 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.3 | -0.3 |
| Total | -2.0 | +0.4 |
Each number is standard deviations above or below the top 156 players (a 12-team league's rosters). Field goal and free throw percentage are weighted by attempts, and turnovers count against.
If you punt a category
No punt changes the answer: Desmond Bane stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Damian Lillard | Desmond Bane |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -2.6 (#196) | -0.2 (#64) |
| REB | -1.5 (#117) | +1.2 (#29) |
| AST | -2.3 (#164) | +0.3 (#46) |
| STL | -1.9 (#145) | +0.4 (#46) |
| BLK | -1.1 (#101) | +0.5 (#43) |
| 3PM | -3.2 (#203) | -0.6 (#82) |
| FG% | -0.4 (#69) | +1.2 (#38) |
| FT% | -2.2 (#158) | -0.9 (#91) |
| TO | -1.8 (#105) | +0.7 (#50) |
Value is the sum of the other eight z-scores, recomputed with the punted category left out of the pool that sets them; the rank is among all 438 ranked players.
Week 3 (Nov 2-8)
- Damian Lillard: 4 games (Mon @DEN, Wed @PHX, Fri @LAL, Sat SAS), 1 back-to-back.
- Desmond Bane: 3 games (Mon WAS, Thu @PHX, Sat @GSW), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Damian Lillard: 31.9 fantasy points a game over his last 6 of 2026-27, against 31.9 on the board.
- Desmond Bane: 28.9 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 32.2 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Damian Lillard playing tonight? · Is Desmond Bane playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Desmond Bane
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Damian Lillard or Desmond Bane?
Points leagues: Desmond Bane. 32.2 fantasy points per game against 31.9, 73rd on our board to 75th. 9-cat leagues: Desmond Bane again, +0.4 in summed z-scores against -2.0 (48th to 136th).
Who wins more categories, Damian Lillard or Desmond Bane?
Category by category, Damian Lillard is ahead in 4 (REB, AST, 3PM and TO) and Desmond Bane in 4 (STL, BLK, FG% and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Damian Lillard or Desmond Bane?
Damian Lillard plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Desmond Bane 3. For that week alone, start Damian Lillard: 127.5 projected fantasy points to 96.5 for Desmond Bane.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 2:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number