Portland Trail Blazers Articles - Page 56

Damian Lillard’s pointed calls for the Portland Trail Blazers to make significant roster changes this summer went unanswered. His team enters 2021-22 with last season’s same core in place and an unchanged starting lineup. Portland’s four offseason additions come mostly on the margins, with Larry Nance Jr. the only one among them guaranteed to make […]

Load management and limiting a star player’s minutes in the regular season is the hot new thing in the NBA. For Portland Trail Blazers star CJ McCollum, though, he’d rather play more minutes if given the chance. When asked about potentially playing less in the regular season, the Blazers guard had this to say. (via […]

The Portland Trail Blazers, to a man, have already been invigorated by the relatability, attention to detail and demand for accountability of rookie coach Chauncey Billups and his coaching staff. Damian Lillard has made clear he’s fully committed to the Blazers for now, entering this season more confident than ever that his dreams of winning […]

Anfernee Simons enters 2021-22 coming off a relative breakout season, at least when accounting for the gravity of his struggles over his first two years in the NBA. Fully established as a rotation player with the Portland Trail Blazers now, rookie coach Chauncey Billups is finally affording Simons the opportunity to prove his bona fides […]

There were times last season when Jusuf Nurkic took matters into his own hands defensively for the Portland Trail Blazers. Terry Stotts didn’t outright forbid Nurkic from veering outside Portland’s ultra-conservative defensive scheme, even encouraging his random forays to the perimeter with a simple caveat. “Sometimes Nurk goes rogue,” Stotts said after the Blazers beat […]

Between winning a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, co-starring in a basketball blockbuster, releasing his fourth studio album and getting married to his longtime girlfriend, Damian Lillard didn’t exactly have much downtime during another shortened offseason. Endless speculation about his suddenly uncertain future with the Portland Trail Blazers only made his summer more hectic. […]

Damian Lillard did his best this summer to recruit free agents to the Portland Trail Blazers. He didn’t even have dreams of somehow luring another superstar to Rip City. Lillard instead sought out potential additions that could help his team on the margins, like former Blazer Nicolas Batum and athletic wing Kelly Oubre Jr. But […]

With the new NBA season about to begin in just a few weeks, all the talk lately has been centered on the continued refusal of some NBA players to get vaccinated against COVID-19. There have been several debates on the issue, including the ones pouring over on social media, and Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ […]

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard knows the importance of getting vaccinated, but he won’t be going around to impose his beliefs on other players. In fact, he won’t get mad at those who say they need to do their research first. However, he highlighted protecting his family and kids as a major reason for […]

The Portland Trail Blazers held their first collective media availability in nearly four months on Monday, since an utterly disappointing playoff exit sparked the most dramatic offseason in franchise history. A lot has changed for this team since we last heard from it en masse on June 3. On the eve of training camp in […]

Larry Nance Jr. turned another page in his career this summer after the Cleveland Cavaliers traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers. While the 28-year-old was reportedly gracious in his exit from the Cavs, Nance could not help but take a dig at his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers, on his way out. Nance […]

Damian Lillard certainly didn’t seem like a player with any plans on playing elsewhere during Portland Trail Blazers Media Day. In fact, the league’s favorite hypothetical trade centerpiece seemed more comfortable with the notion of continuing his career in Rip City for good than he has in months. Why? Lillard’s newfound confidence he really could […]

Depending on the veracity of several published media reports and countless unsourced rumors, Damian Lillard came close to requesting a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers this summer. But even if the greatest player in franchise history demanded to leave Portland with four years remaining on his contract, it seems clear Neil Olshey would have […]

As a professional athlete, you know you’ve made your mark on the game when your signature skill somehow crosses over into other sports. As if he didn’t already know, Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is at that point in his career. He was no-doubt watching his beloved Las Vegas Raiders play the Miami Dolphins, […]

The most controversial and potentially consequential offseason in Portland Trail Blazers history is over. Media day is finally here, and with it come many unknowns about Portland’s present and future. Here are some of the most pressing questions the Blazers need to answer on Monday as they begin official preparations for the 2021-22 season. Where […]

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard couldn’t help but send his prayers for Dominican Republic boxer Lenin Castillo after his scary knockout at the hands of Callum Smith on Saturday. In the second round of the light heavyweight bout, Smith connected a massive right hand to the jaw of Castillo. Right after it landed, it […]

Fans who choose to come at Damian Lillard on Twitter better be prepared with bullet-proof comments or risk being shamed in front of over 2.8 million pairs of eyes. One Twitter user learned that the hard way when he chose to attack Lillard’s workout post. The person even went as far as invoking LeBron James […]

Nassir Little enters his third NBA season with the Portland Trail Blazers subject to relatively low expectations. The 25th overall pick of the 2019 draft played sparingly as a rookie, and barely got off the bench more last season despite making obvious all-around strides and Portland’s departed coach at one point publicly earmarking him regular […]

Chauncey Billups believes what ailed the Portland Trail Blazers most on defense last season was attitude. He’s preached the significance of a team-wide commitment to that side of the ball since being named Terry Stotts’ replacement in late June, even going so far as to insist players who don’t buy into it on a possession-by-possession […]

NBA 2K is one of the biggest game franchises out there, and it’s not surprising that a ton of people are hooked on the highly addictive basketball game. As it turns out, Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard is no different. Based on his own admission, Lillard actually plays NBA 2K every single day. On […]

Damian Lillard has already proven himself as the best player in Portland Trail Blazers history, and the summer-long frenzy induced by his wavering commitment to Rip City is just the latest indication of his exalted standing in the league’s individual hierarchy. Lillard’s an unqualified superstar, basically, the exceedingly rare and valuable caliber of player around […]

Chauncey Billups was Neil Olshey’s top choice as the Portland Trail Blazers’ next head coach even before the job became available. Damian Lillard gave Billups his public seal of approval about 12 hours after Portland parted ways with Terry Stotts. Norman Powell says conversations with Billups played a major part in his decision to re-sign […]

All offseason, the basketball community has asked one question: What is going to happen with Ben Simmons? The former number one overall pick has made it abundantly clear that he has no intentions of returning to the Philadelphia 76ers. General manager Daryl Morey has actively been in trade discussions all summer, but an enticing deal […]

The Philadelphia 76ers are no doubt uncomfortable with the notion of honoring Ben Simmons’ trade demand as he continues to publicly flaunt their irreparably damaged relationship. Daryl Morey wants to win at everything, and placating a player in open breach of a max contract with four years and $147 million on it doesn’t exactly sound […]

The Portland Trail Blazers fan base has been through a lot recently. Damian Lillard hasn’t formally requested for a trade just yet, but his fealty to the franchise seems to be at the lowest point that it’s ever been. But it’s far from lowest point in their recent history. Every Blazers fan remembers the true […]

The Portland Trail Blazers added another journeyman on Tuesday, signing Quinn Cook to a non-guaranteed contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Free agent guard Quinn Cook is signing a non-guaranteed deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 21, 2021 Though the disclosure of Cook’s deal […]

Official preparations for the 2021-22 season begin in less than a week, and Ben Simmons seems no closer to moving on from the Philadelphia 76ers despite his best efforts to force a trade. The disgruntled three-time All-Star, in fact, reportedly has no plans to budge from his longtime stance of refusing to report to his […]

Jusuf Nurkic, entering a crucial contract year that could double as Damian Lillard’s swan song with the Trail Blazers, isn’t feeling the pressure as 2021-22 fast approaches. The seven-year veteran has never looked forward to an NBA season more than he has this one, in fact, despite an immediate future in Portland that seemed uncertain […]

Despite a summer full of speculation that he could be traded, Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard ultimately stuck to his word and stayed with the team. Of course, there was no shortage of organizations who showed interest in making a move for the guard, but he remained loyal to the Blazers. The Sixers, in […]

There are very few statement wins that occur this early in the season, but the Las Vegas Raiders did pick up such a victory with the 26-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2. The Raiders came into Heinz Field and simply moved the ball with ease on a possession-by-possession basis. Las Vegas recorded […]

The Portland Trail Blazers didn’t make a lot of changes this offseason to really boost their title chances with Damian Lillard, but new head coach Chauncey Billups remains confident about their odds. After all, they have a slew of players like Jusuf Nurkic whom Billups believes can elevate their games. As Jason Quick of The […]

Neil Olshey clearly took it as a source of pride. Carmelo Anthony, without a job for more than a year when the injury-ravaged Portland Trail Blazers signed him in November 2019, re-upped before last season despite knowing he’d be moved to the bench—the same gut-check demotion that previously left him out of the league in […]

ESPN released its NBA Finals and individual awards predictions for the 2021-22 season on Thursday, with familiar marquee teams and players dominating the voting. The “worldwide leader’s” expert panel picked the juggernaut Brooklyn Nets to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Kevin Durant to win his second MVP and Rudy Gobert to be named Defensive Player […]

Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard aka Dame D.O.L.L.A. just dropped his latest music video. The track is entitled “Him Duncan” which is from his fourth studio album, Different on Levels the Lord Allowed. Lillard invoked a couple of hip-hop icons in his latest visual in none other than Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. aka […]

Damian Lillard is many things – a loyal franchise face, an All-NBA talent, and one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. But when it comes to winning titles, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has him beat. That’s why Damian Lillard wasn’t used to the champagne celebration after Team USA won their gold medal […]

The most controversial and perhaps consequential offseason in Portland Trail Blazers history is firmly in the rearview mirror. Portland tips off training camp in less than two weeks, opens exhibition action on Oct. 4 and is just more than a month away from hosting the Sacramento Kings in the season opener — a game that […]

The Portland Trail Blazers were expected as one of the teams to make major moves in the offseason. But aside from acquiring a few role players, the team hardly tinkered with the roster. One of the guys linked to trade rumors in recent months is big man Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic has been hampered by a […]

After two seasons alongside Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, Carmelo Anthony left the Portland Trail Blazers this summer to join LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in Free Agency, During his time with the team, Melo proved to be a key piece in their success and recently spoke on why he ended up leaving […]

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is arguably the biggest Las Vegas Raiders fan in the NBA. Because really, who’s still a Raiders fan, right? Kidding aside, Lillard has repeatedly professed his love-and-hate relationship with the Raiders, the team he grew up following as a wide-eyed kid in Oakland. Despite the seemingly incessant futility of […]