Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard has provided us with a unique glimpse of how he and the rest of his team have been coping since the Blazers' practice facility reopened a few weeks ago.

Speaking to ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz, the Blazers point guard expressed how exciting it was for everyone once they all finally returned to practice after roughly two months of being quarantined in their respective homes:

“The whole first week was a breath of fresh air,” Lillard says. “On a certain level, it was exciting. You're finally back on the court and you're seeing everyone's faces again.”

Then again, the mood took a bit of a turn for the worse as the excitement wore down. Blazers players began facing the stark reality of what was at hand here, as well as the health risks that they are forced to face every single day:

“The second week everyone is like, ‘All right, this is kind of weird,'” Lillard says. “The excitement is gone and now it's, ‘What going on?'

“I haven't had a personal experience with [COVID-19], but I know how real it is. There's nothing excessive when you see the kind of toll it's taking on the world.”

There are a number of safety guidelines in place at the Blazers' practice facility and others around the NBA, including the usage of masks when checking in, regimented schedules, and strict social distancing protocols, among other things. It's making for a weird experience, as Lillard notes.

It's great that the NBA is taking the necessary steps to resume the remainder of the season, but there's also no denying that it has become a huge challenge for everyone involved. Things just can't be the same as they were prior to the pandemic.

But while it's going to be tough, at least there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel, with a return-to-play plan hopefully coming soon. Lillard is hoping his Blazers still get a chance to compete for a playoff spot when the NBA returns.