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Despite some recent struggles, the Portland Trail Blazers have one of the best overall duos and NBA backcourts in the league today. With the tandem of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum leading the way, the Trail Blazers can always be dangerous even when things aren't exactly going according to plan in the Pacific Northwest.
However, it appears as though Lillard and McCollum understand that their relationship must shift between both the court and away from it like the rapport between Houston Rockets guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
Article Continues Below“They’re both MVPs,” Lillard recently said of the Rockets backcourt, via NBC Sports Northwest. “They’re smart enough players to figure it out, they’re friends, so I think that makes it easier for them to coexist and they’ve also played together before, obviously at different stages of their career, but all those things play a factor and I think that’s why it's been working out.”
The Rockets notably acquired Westbrook from the Oklahoma City Thunder this past offseason while he and Harden previously played together in Oklahoma City earlier in their careers. Lillard and McCollum have only suited up for the Trail Blazers as it stands today.
“If you look at the statistics, James is the man, not just on his team, but he’s averaging 40 points a game. So, he’s the man pretty much wherever he goes in terms of how he plays, how he gets to the free throw line, how he generates shots, but you’re talking about two people who were friends, so they’re able to coexist, it’s easy, they’ve known each other before basketball,” McCollum added.
Portland currently sits at a disappointing 5-8 on the year with Houston at a stellar 10-3.
