“I wanted Melo to feel comfortable when he got here. I needed him. We needed him and I think we needed each other,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “I wanted him to get to know me and what I’m about and I wanted to get to know him.” Game 1 of Portland’s series against LeBron James, Anthony Davis and company begins on Tuesday. A few things are for sure: Lillard and the Trail Blazers are arguably the most jelled team in the bubble and they aren’t just happy to be here. “We’re here to compete for a championship,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “That was the goal from Day 1 and that hasn’t changed. I’m looking forward to the challenge and I trust my guys are too.”