Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers.
A walk-off of any sort in sports is awesome! Damian Lillard has been and currently treating Portland Trail Blazers fans to their fair share of walk-offs. Whether you see one in person or on TV, it’s something fans don’t forget. They’re not typically a “never forget where you were” type of moment. However, some walk-offs are of that magnitude.
Perhaps the greatest NBA player who made his reputation for being clutch is Reggie Miller. Many NBA fans know about Miller’s heroics. Maybe his most famous moment is his eight points in nine seconds against the New York Knicks. Knicks fans everywhere hate Miller and claim he pushed Greg Anthony. Upon further review of the play, there’s no definitive evidence to support that claim. Today’s modern version is Damian Lillard. But it’s Dame Time when Lillard does it.
Consequently, Dame Time is happening more frequently this year. That’s not a good thing. Dame Time is great because it means the Blazers got another win. But the frequency waters down the specialness. Also, the teams that Dame beat in the waning seconds recently aren’t among the NBA’s best. Don’t get it twisted; the opponents get paid to try and win the game too.
All of Rip City believes that the Trail Blazers are a good team, a playoff team. But if this is true, then Dame Time shouldn’t happen so often. Good teams take care of the games they’re supposed to win. Over the last six-and-a-half weeks, there is plenty of evidence.
This is the NBA, home to the greatest ballers on earth. But this is too much.
January 30, 2021: Portland Trail Blazers 123 – Chicago Bulls 122
The Bulls are better than they have shown recently, but the Blazers should still have won the game by at least two possessions. Instead, Dame hit a pair of threes in the final nine seconds, including a buzzer-beater, to pull out the win.
February 14, 2021: Portland Trail Blazers 121 – Dallas Mavericks 118
This game was tied at 116 with 32.5 seconds left when Dame hit a step-back three to give Portland the decisive basket.
February 17, 2021: Portland Trail Blazers 126 – New Orleans Pelicans 124
Down by a point with 16.5 seconds left against New Orleans, Lillard drove the line for a bucket-and-one to nail down a win.
March 3, 2021: Portland Trail Blazers 108 – Golden State Warriors – 106
Portland trailed by two with under 14 seconds to go. With Kent Bazemore all over him, Lilliard nailed a trey and a victory.
March 16, 2021: Portland Trail Blazers 126 – New Orleans Pelicans 124
Lillard victimized NOP for the second time in a month. New Orleans, leading 124-123, turned the ball over on an inbound pass with 5.2 seconds remaining. Portland got the ball in play and to Lillard, who drew a foul with only 1.3 seconds on the clock. Two converted free throws sealed the deal.
So, these Dame Time games can mean one of two things: 1) the Blazers aren’t that good or 2) the victims of Dame Time this year are much better than their records indicate. If the Blazers are a good team, why are they in so many close games? Close games where Portland needs Dame Time to pull out a win.
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But the fact of the matter is the Portland Trail Blazers are one Lillard injury (even one the costs him as little as two weeks) away from watching the 2021 NBA playoffs from the couch like NBA fans.
This team needs other players on the roster to step up and take some of the load off Lillard’s shoulders. Help arrived this week when CJ McCollum returned from a two-month layoff due to a fractured foot. Center Jusuf Nurkic (fractured wrist – January 16) is about ten days away from a return. In the interim, Portland has a supporting cast of Gary Trent Jr., Anfernee Simons, Enes Kanter, Robert Covington, Carmelo Anthony, and Derrick Jones Jr.
Portland can’t expect Melo to play like his 20-year-old self. DJJ is mostly a defender, so counting him to be a double-digit scorer is also unrealistic. Kanter does Kanter things, but the game isn’t as big man-focused as it used to be.
The guys who need to step up their offensive production are GTJ, RoCo, and Simons. GTJ and Simons have made gains from their production last year. If they can kick it up it another level, that would be a great boost off the bench. RoCo hasn’t performed to his normal levels. He has to turn it around in the second half of the season.
All these Dame Times are great because the Portland Trail Blazers need every win they can get in the competitive Western Conference. At this time, so much Dame Time is a reminder that the Blazers aren’t as good as we think, or their opponents are better than their record.
GM Neil Olshey built this team with a lot of depth. The type of depth that should withstand some injuries and still play high-end basketball. That hasn’t been the case. Right now, the Blazers will only go as far as Lillard can take them.
What do you think about Damian Lillard carrying the Portland Trail Blazers so often? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.