Portland Trail Blazers star point guard Damian Lillard has been on a mission all season to atone for what happened during the 2018 playoffs.

Lillard and the Blazers were swept by the New Orleans Pelicans in the first-round of the playoffs. Dame had a hard time scoring against Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, who used his size to make things difficult for Lillard.

Pundits around the league thought Portland should have blown up the roster last summer. Instead, general manager Neil Olshey brought back the exact same roster.

Olshey made two good moves this season. He traded for shooting guard Rodney Hood and signed Enes Kanter after the big man was bought out by the New York Knicks.

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With the playoffs right around the corner, Damian Lillard says success for him would be to lead the Blazers to the Western Conference Finals.

“We've been out of the first round a few times, but I think trying to get to the Western Conference Finals, I think that would be, in my eyes, to at least get there would be successful,” said Lillard, via Casey Holdahl of NBA.com.

“We know it's possible. We know that it's tough in the Western Conference so sometimes you get in the first round and you get a touch matchup like we did the last few years and you lose, we know that's possible. But in my eyes, I think success would be at least getting to the Western Conference Finals.”

Entering Monday, the Blazers are 45-27 on the season, which is good for fourth place in the Western Conference standings.

Portland has been bounced in the first-round of the postseason the last two years. Let's see if this year will be any different.