Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts was all praises for Damian Lillard's game-winning defense against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Per NBC Sports Northwest, Stotts and Lillard shared what was going through their minds when the star guard wanted to challenge the late-game call that could have decided the game in the Mavs' favor.
Stotts admitted that he didn't want to challenge the call in the first place. However, when he observed that Lillard was a bit adamant, he just trusted his decision.
Terry Stotts takes @Dame_Lillard at his word — and the @trailblazers win.
📰 More from @dwightjaynes on the coach's challenge that may have changed the outcome of the game 📰https://t.co/NBF1JCBX7v#RipCity pic.twitter.com/lKYpYXhpnq
— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) October 28, 2019
Lillard was confident that he got all ball, noting that he heard hand on leather and not hand on hand. Backcourt partner CJ McCollum was also unsure of Lillard's insistence to challenge the call, but given their rich history together, McCollum knows that Lillard is an honest player.
The new rule, which is being tested in the 2019-20 season, has garnered lots of controversies, as expected. However, the aforementioned play has certainly revealed how useful it can be in late-game situations.
For the Blazers, it literally changed the course of the game. The same could happen in other matches, especially in the ultra-competitive NBA where any team in any given night has a chance to win.
Lillard's play could open the eyes of other NBA teams on how to wisely and effectively use the Coach's Challenge.
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