He hinted as much in a recent appearance on “Bars On I-95, in which he rapped his way to share his thoughts on joining a super team. He gave a special shoutout to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, who both defeated superteams and won the title despite not having the same star-studded squad. Here’s how his freestyle went, via Reddit: “Dame Lillard, DeMar DeRozan, Bradley Beal, trill… Me not wanting to join a super team might end up being my Achilles’ heel… Hector, I’m on my shield… Trying to get next to Freak and Dirk on that lonely hill… Now my goal’s revealed so fuck you, the reporters thinking my homies squealed…”
Source: Angelo Guinhawa @ Clutch Points
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Sean Highkin @highkin
Damian Lillard on breaking out of his slump: “I’ve been around long enough to know it’s part of the game. I’ve had stretches where I scored 50 points a game for 4 games. You can’t enjoy that without also knowing that when shit goes south, that’s also part of the game.” – 1:14 AM
Damian Lillard on breaking out of his slump: “I’ve been around long enough to know it’s part of the game. I’ve had stretches where I scored 50 points a game for 4 games. You can’t enjoy that without also knowing that when shit goes south, that’s also part of the game.” – 1:14 AM
Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Luke Kennard on Damian Lillard: “Credit to him, being aggressive and continuing to shoot … that’s what he does.”
Luke on tonight: “We gave ourselves a chance to get back in it but we hurt ourselves, getting down in the first half.” – 1:11 AM
Luke Kennard on Damian Lillard: “Credit to him, being aggressive and continuing to shoot … that’s what he does.”
Luke on tonight: “We gave ourselves a chance to get back in it but we hurt ourselves, getting down in the first half.” – 1:11 AM
Jason Quick @jwquick
Good, solid win for Blazers who survive 42 points from Paul George and beat Clippers 111-92. Lillard (25 points) brought Blazers home, Norman Powell celebrated return w/four 3-pointers, and Jusuf Nurkić avenged poor performance in LA against Clips with 14 points and 17 rebounds. – 12:23 AM
Good, solid win for Blazers who survive 42 points from Paul George and beat Clippers 111-92. Lillard (25 points) brought Blazers home, Norman Powell celebrated return w/four 3-pointers, and Jusuf Nurkić avenged poor performance in LA against Clips with 14 points and 17 rebounds. – 12:23 AM
Mike Richman @mikegrich
The Blazers didn’t have an answer for Paul George but they had an answer for pretty much everything else. Dame looked like Dame and they weathered the Clippers second half push. Now for a week on the road. – 12:23 AM
The Blazers didn’t have an answer for Paul George but they had an answer for pretty much everything else. Dame looked like Dame and they weathered the Clippers second half push. Now for a week on the road. – 12:23 AM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Season-high 42 points for George.
Only Clippers win came when he had only 14 on Monday night vs Trail Blazers.
These same Trail Blazers are up 99-83 with 3:19 left, and this one’s a wrap. Lillard found his 3-ball, just as Billups knew he would. – 12:11 AM
Season-high 42 points for George.
Only Clippers win came when he had only 14 on Monday night vs Trail Blazers.
These same Trail Blazers are up 99-83 with 3:19 left, and this one’s a wrap. Lillard found his 3-ball, just as Billups knew he would. – 12:11 AM
Casey Holdahl @CHold
Dame draws a ton of attention after back-to-back threes, swing to RoCo, swing to Norm for the open three is off, but Nurk is there for two rebounds before finishing to put Portland up 99-83 with 3:19 to play. Big possession. – 12:11 AM
Dame draws a ton of attention after back-to-back threes, swing to RoCo, swing to Norm for the open three is off, but Nurk is there for two rebounds before finishing to put Portland up 99-83 with 3:19 to play. Big possession. – 12:11 AM
Sean Highkin @highkin
Dame quietly 4-for-6 from three in this game. They haven’t been big showstopping logo pull-ups but it’s encouraging to see after how he shot the first few games. – 12:09 AM
Dame quietly 4-for-6 from three in this game. They haven’t been big showstopping logo pull-ups but it’s encouraging to see after how he shot the first few games. – 12:09 AM
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Clippers going with the switch then double when they get a matchup they don’t like in screening action for Dame. Right now, that’s both Kennard and Hartenstein. – 11:45 PM
Clippers going with the switch then double when they get a matchup they don’t like in screening action for Dame. Right now, that’s both Kennard and Hartenstein. – 11:45 PM
Mike Richman @mikegrich
Damian Lillard is so good. Calls for the screen to get the Kennard switch. Knows the clippers will help kennard and then fires a look away skip pass right where the help came from and hits CJ perfectly in the shooting pocket. Sheesh. – 11:36 PM
Damian Lillard is so good. Calls for the screen to get the Kennard switch. Knows the clippers will help kennard and then fires a look away skip pass right where the help came from and hits CJ perfectly in the shooting pocket. Sheesh. – 11:36 PM
Casey Holdahl @CHold
Dame with two ridiculous cross-court passes in the last few possessions – 11:35 PM
Dame with two ridiculous cross-court passes in the last few possessions – 11:35 PM
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Blazers/Clippers first half: Blazers D looked great start of the 2nd. Then, some Nance at C, nice flow with him operating in handoffs up top. PG had 22 of Clips 40 points, Blazers have nobody to guard him. Dame struggling to finish, as is Nurkic. – 11:15 PM
Blazers/Clippers first half: Blazers D looked great start of the 2nd. Then, some Nance at C, nice flow with him operating in handoffs up top. PG had 22 of Clips 40 points, Blazers have nobody to guard him. Dame struggling to finish, as is Nurkic. – 11:15 PM
Mike Richman @mikegrich
Our first real look at the Dame-CJ-Norm-Roco-Nance lineup: +4 in 1:20. The defense was awful but lucky! – 11:02 PM
Our first real look at the Dame-CJ-Norm-Roco-Nance lineup: +4 in 1:20. The defense was awful but lucky! – 11:02 PM
Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Blazers 25, Clippers 24 | End 1 | LA started 6 for 6 from 3. They built a 20-9 …
They shot 1 for 8 from deep after that and now trail by one.
PG has 9 points, Dame (and Zeller) with 5. – 10:43 PM
Blazers 25, Clippers 24 | End 1 | LA started 6 for 6 from 3. They built a 20-9 …
They shot 1 for 8 from deep after that and now trail by one.
PG has 9 points, Dame (and Zeller) with 5. – 10:43 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Damian Lillard finally makes a 3 vs Clippers after missing first 9 attempts this week – 10:29 PM
Damian Lillard finally makes a 3 vs Clippers after missing first 9 attempts this week – 10:29 PM
Mike Richman @mikegrich
The way the Clippers guard the pick and roll with Dame means Nurk is going to have a lotttttt of chances to make a play 4-on-3. He hasn’t been particularly good at it so far. But it’s going to be there all night. – 10:20 PM
The way the Clippers guard the pick and roll with Dame means Nurk is going to have a lotttttt of chances to make a play 4-on-3. He hasn’t been particularly good at it so far. But it’s going to be there all night. – 10:20 PM
Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Clippers at Portland
LAC
Paul George
Nicolas Batum
Ivica Zubac
Eric Bledsoe
Reggie Jackson
POR
Norman Powell
Robert Covington
Jusuf Nurkic
CJ McCollum
Damian Lillard – 9:33 PM
Clippers at Portland
LAC
Paul George
Nicolas Batum
Ivica Zubac
Eric Bledsoe
Reggie Jackson
POR
Norman Powell
Robert Covington
Jusuf Nurkic
CJ McCollum
Damian Lillard – 9:33 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Tyronn Lue on Clippers shooting: “Our shots are going to fall. So, I’m not too concerned about it. It’s just, we’re not making shots right now.”
Chauncey Billups on Damian Lillard: “I know that he’s… you know. It’s like a ticking time bomb right now.”
🌋🌋 – 8:57 PM
Tyronn Lue on Clippers shooting: “Our shots are going to fall. So, I’m not too concerned about it. It’s just, we’re not making shots right now.”
Chauncey Billups on Damian Lillard: “I know that he’s… you know. It’s like a ticking time bomb right now.”
🌋🌋 – 8:57 PM
Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Chauncey on Dame: “He’s like a ticking time bomb. He’s gonna have one of those nights soon.” – 8:17 PM
Chauncey on Dame: “He’s like a ticking time bomb. He’s gonna have one of those nights soon.” – 8:17 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Looking forward to join @JaredSGreenberg on @NBATV. We’ll dive into the state of the Lakers, my recent talk with Damian Lillard & more. Tune in at 4 pm ET on.nba.com/3bo6ow5 – 6:41 PM
Looking forward to join @JaredSGreenberg on @NBATV. We’ll dive into the state of the Lakers, my recent talk with Damian Lillard & more. Tune in at 4 pm ET on.nba.com/3bo6ow5 – 6:41 PM
Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
What you think? Is it gonna be Dame Time tonight? Could we see some Mr. October out of Mr. June?
ocregister.com/2021/10/28/dam… – 1:25 PM
What you think? Is it gonna be Dame Time tonight? Could we see some Mr. October out of Mr. June?
ocregister.com/2021/10/28/dam… – 1:25 PM
More on this storyline
Lillard also became empowered under first-year coach Chauncey Billups, a former NBA player and LA Clippers assistant coach that replaced Terry Stotts after his nine seasons at the helm. “It was never out of hate or that we don’t like each other,” Lillard told NBA.com. “It was just, ‘This is how much I want to win it.’ So, once it was time to come back and I had a conversation with Chauncey and had a conversation with Neil, I’m not going to come back halfhearted. I’m going to come back and be all in.” -via NBA.com / October 27, 2021
On the surface, Damian Lillard’s words captured preseason platitudes about the Portland Trail Blazers and their chances to win an NBA championship this season. “I’m optimistic. I’m a believer,” Lillard said. “And I love this organization.” -via NBA.com / October 27, 2021
Malika Andrews: A snippet of our interview with Damian Lillard on NBA Today: “I just wanted it to be clear. It’s not one of those situations where I’m waiting for some adversity to hit… The last thing I’m thinking about is waiting for it to get tough and then bailing out on (Chauncey Billups).” -via Twitter @malika_andrews / October 22, 2021