{"id":104876,"date":"2022-10-22T15:42:11","date_gmt":"2022-10-22T15:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/on-the-night-damian-lillard-signals-his-return-he-allows-protege-anfernee-simons-to-secure-trail-blazers-victory\/"},"modified":"2022-10-22T15:42:11","modified_gmt":"2022-10-22T15:42:11","slug":"on-the-night-damian-lillard-signals-his-return-he-allows-protege-anfernee-simons-to-secure-trail-blazers-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/on-the-night-damian-lillard-signals-his-return-he-allows-protege-anfernee-simons-to-secure-trail-blazers-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"On the night Damian Lillard signals his return, he allows protege Anfernee Simons to secure Trail Blazers victory"},"content":{"rendered":"
Damian Lillard was dealing and the Phoenix Suns were for the most part helpless to stop him during the Portland Trail Blazers’ 113-111 overtime victory Friday night at the Moda Center.<\/p>\n
Lillard, who played just 29 mostly subpar games last season because of injury, resurrected his old bag of tricks while scoring 41 points against the Suns.<\/p>\n
Pull-up threes. Spinning step-backs. Floating fade-aways. Unconscious deep shots that make youth basketball coaches cringe.<\/p>\n
Lillard, for the most part, had it going on. But in overtime, after Lillard had missed a potential game-winner at the end of regulation, the six-time All-Star passed on taking the final shot with the game tied at 111-111.<\/p>\n
Lillard brought the ball up court following a Devin Booker miss and passed off to Anfernee Simons on the left. Lillard’s new backcourt mate after nearly seven seasons running with CJ McCollum, found himself in a relatively unfamiliar position.<\/p>\n
A game that mattered was on the line and he had the ball in his hands.<\/p>\n
It was the kind of moment Lillard said he had talked to Simons about before the season while urging him to remain confident and focused.<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-3 Simons, with good friend, 6-6 Mikal Bridges defending him, dribbled between his legs three times as he moved forward and then burst toward the right side of the key, elevated and swished a running baby hook to give Portland the lead.<\/p>\n
The Blazers held on to win after Deandre Ayton missed two free throws, creating a moment between Lillard and his protege that both hope becomes more common as the franchise looks for players to ease some of the burden off of Lillard’s shoulders.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s the way it’s got to be,\u201d Lillard said. \u201cThere has to be balance. It has to come from different angles. If people know it’s going to be me every time, it makes it easier to guard me. And they’re able to lean on the fact that we’re not showing that we truly trust each other. So, I think it was a moment to do that. I chose to do that. And he came through and made me look good, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a lot to unpack between these two in this game. But let’s start with Lillard.<\/p>\n
Lillard told the world for months that he feels great physically and mentally after taking the second half of last season off following core muscle surgery. Simply feeling better made all the difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like that was the breakthrough moment for me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
But he still needed to show in a game that he was all the way back.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just a matter of time of when it was going to happen,\u201d Lillard said.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday at Sacramento, Lillard went 5 of 18 from the field for 20 points during a 115-108 victory. Not a big deal. Shooters have off nights. But he needed to see his physical health translate into great play.<\/p>\n
It was clear early on against the Suns that Friday would be that night.<\/p>\n
Lillard played a mesmerizing first half, sinking 8 of 12 shots for 28 points. However, his teammates combined to make just 6 of 22 shots and the Blazers trailed 53-47 at halftime. Sharing in the team’s shooting misery was Simons, who went 1 of 7 from the field for three points.<\/p>\n