Damian Lillard is hoping that the Portland Trail Blazers can make a championship run this season, but he realistically knows the defense must improve for that to happen. Following Monday's lopsided loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, Lillard gave a brutally honest assessment of how Portland's defense could cost them a chance at making the NBA Finals.
“If we are the defensive team that we’ve been so far this season, then we don’t have a chance to win the championship,” Lillard said, via . “Right now, we aren’t a championship team, because you don’t have a chance being one of the bottom teams defensively, and that’s just the reality of the situation. And I’m aware of that.”
On Monday night, the Trail Blazers were blown out by the Bucks 134-106, allowing Milwaukee's starters to rest for the fourth quarter. With their loss to the Bucks, the Trail Blazers are now 10-9 and are tied for the eighth seed in the Western Conference with the Houston Rockets.
While Portland's offense doesn't have much trouble scoring points — even without CJ McCollum — their defense has been a glaring issue all season. As of this moment, the Trail Blazers boast the second-worst defense in the NBA in terms of defensive rating, only behind the Sacramento Kings.
Lillard, who is in his ninth season with Portland, would love to get an opportunity to play in the NBA Finals with the team that drafted him in 2012. But if the Trail Blazers drastically improve on the defensive end, then Lillard understands that his championship aspirations are going to go down the drain.
Follow Us
Subscribe