With one match left, the Bucks (32v-15d) and the Blazers (14v-33d) have perfectly opposite records. We therefore understand better why Damian Lillard pushed hard to leave Portland, and give himself a chance to win a title. This Wednesday evening, the All-Star leader will reunite with his former teammates, his former audience and his old venue for a reunion that is sure to be as moving as it is warm.
“I liked the frankness. I loved everyone I went to work with every day. And I think what was most difficult was that it wasn't a broken relationship. So when it comes time to come back here, I'm in a really good frame of mind,” Lillard emphasized Tuesday. “The reason this whole thing started was to have a chance to win it all. We couldn't be there. So I come back with love and I am very happy to come back to the Moda Center.”
Lillard reunites with his family and loved ones
On the Blazers bench, Chauncey Billups. The Portland coach had become close to Lillard, and he thanks him for his professionalism. “In the situation we found ourselves in, we didn't want him to be there getting high, scoring 30 or 40 points, while we were having trouble winning games… It was a difficult situation for him . But he never complained about it. He's a soldier. He came to work and did his best every time. That's what I respect about him. »
Arriving in Portland on Monday, Lillard was reunited with his children, and attended the inauguration of a field in his name. Even though he's gone, he remains attached to this city, and that goes beyond basketball.
“My excitement isn’t just about playing the Blazers,” he continues. “It's more the fact that my children and my family are here and I can come home. I can't wait to play in front of the fans and see everyone. I think it will always be an emotional moment because I loved living and playing in Portland. I never intended to stop playing for the Blazers. That's why I think this feeling is genuine and will never go away. But, in the end, sometimes you have to make tough decisions for what you really want.”
Sincere to the end
Tonight, Lillard will be treated to a warm welcome and a tribute video. He is nothing less than the best player in franchise history! Two years ago, he witnessed the return of CJ McCollum, and he got chills. The Pelicans guard received a standing ovation for 90 seconds.
“I think it will be moving because I feel touched,” Lillard concludes. “I loved playing in Portland. I loved living there and I still live there. I'm not someone who cries. I don't think I'm going to cry and all that. But I feel concerned. Everything I said about my time in Portland playing there, I really meant it. So, yes, it will be emotional. »
