The Portland Trail Blazers were impressive in the first round of the playoffs, eliminating the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. The team is highly motivated to make a deep run this year, especially after being swept in the opening round in each of the last two seasons.
The Blazers' first round victory was capped off by Damian Lillard's series-clinching, buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Game 5, and they now await the winner of the Denver Nuggets-San Antonio Spurs series.
But Lillard was in high spirits even before the playoffs began. In fact, he told teammate Meyers Leonard that they can make a deep run in the postseason this year because of what they have built as a team. Leonard narrated his conversation with Dame to John Canzano of The Oregonian.
Leonard said Lillard told him before the Oklahoma City series, “We’re going to make a deep run this year, I feel it, I know it. We have a special team.”
The Blazers has every reason to be optimistic, especially with how well they performed against OKC. However, whoever they face in the second round will pose a tougher challenge.
Not only are the Nuggets and Spurs more talented, but they are also well-coached. Michael Malone and Gregg Popovich will surely be able to utilize their respective rosters, meaning the Blazers will surely get their hands full on whoever advances.
Nonetheless, just like Damian Lillard's 3-pointer in the closing seconds of Game 5, he's confident with the guys that he's playing with, and he knows they can make it to the conference finals.
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