Damian Lillard had no longer performed a unmarried NBA recreation in just about a yr when he stepped onto the court docket on the 2026 All-Famous person Weekend. Nonetheless convalescing from a torn Achilles tendon, the 35-year-old used to be hardly ever an obtrusive candidate to scouse borrow the display. But, with a basketball in his palms and a three-point line in entrance of him, he seemed remarkably acquainted.
Lillard defeated Devin Booker 29-27 within the ultimate around of the 3-Level Contest, claiming his 3rd name in 4 years and becoming a member of Larry Hen and Craig Hodges as the one three-time winners within the pageant’s historical past. It used to be a reminder that one of the most biggest capturing skills of his technology had no longer merely disappeared right through his restoration.
In fact, flattening uncontested pictures may be very other from navigating NBA defences, soaking up touch and maintaining with the bodily calls for of an 82-game season. However Lillard has since taken every other step ahead, returning to aggressive motion right through the Portland Trail Blazers‘ preseason arrangements and providing an early glimpse of the way he would possibly are compatible into the crew’s new-look backcourt.
Now again with the franchise the place he spent the primary 11 seasons of his profession, Lillard faces a unique problem. The query is not whether or not he can nonetheless shoot. It’s how a lot of the participant who as soon as outlined Rip Town stays – and what he can carry to a crew that has modified significantly in his absence.
The making of Dame Time
Lillard’s reference to Portland started on June twenty eighth, 2012, when the Path Blazers decided on the Weber State guard with the 6th general choose within the NBA Draft. 4 months later, he made his NBA debut towards the Los Angeles Lakers, dealing with a crew led through Kobe Bryant, one of the most avid gamers he had admired rising up.
There used to be little signal of rookie nerves. Lillard completed with 23 issues and 11 assists in a 116-106 victory, turning into simply the 3rd participant on the time to report a minimum of 20 issues and 10 assists in his first NBA recreation, becoming a member of Oscar Robertson and Allen Iverson.
He adopted that efficiency with a outstanding rookie season, averaging 19.0 issues and six.5 assists whilst main all first-year avid gamers in each classes. His consistency earned him the 2012/13 Rookie of the 12 months award through unanimous vote, making him handiest the fourth participant in league historical past on the time to obtain that honour.
What adopted used to be greater than a a hit person profession. Over 11 seasons, Lillard turned into the face of the Path Blazers, the franchise’s all-time main scorer and one of the vital recognisable figures in Portland sports activities. His dating with the town prolonged past basketball, and the loyalty he confirmed right through years when championship competition remained out of achieve helped support that connection.
But when there may be one high quality that outlined his time in Portland, it used to be his talent to ship when the stakes have been perfect.
His series-winning three-pointer towards the Houston Rockets within the 2014 playoffs supplied an early glimpse of what used to be to return. 5 years later, he produced a second that might transform inseparable from his title.
With Recreation 5 of Portland’s 2019 first-round collection towards the Oklahoma City Thunder tied at 115, Lillard lightly dribbled close to midcourt as the general seconds disappeared. Paul George defended him, however moderately than riding towards the basket, Lillard stepped again and introduced a three-pointer from roughly 37 toes.
The ball went throughout the web as time expired.
Portland received 118-115, eradicated the Thunder in 5 video games and watched Lillard end with 50 issues and 10 three-pointers. His informal good-bye wave towards Oklahoma Town’s bench handiest made the instant extra memorable. George later described the try as a foul shot, however for Lillard, that more or less vary had transform a part of his recreation.
It used to be Dame Time in its purest shape: self belief, ordinary capturing talent and a willingness to take duty for the result.
And his scoring brilliance used to be no longer restricted to the general seconds of shut video games. On February twenty sixth, 2023, Lillard delivered one of the most biggest person performances in franchise historical past, scoring 71 issues and making 13 three-pointers towards the Rockets. He had already scored 41 through halftime and completed the sport in fewer than 40 mins.
At 32, he turned into the oldest participant in NBA historical past to attain a minimum of 70 issues in a regular-season recreation, including every other outstanding fulfillment to a profession already stuffed with them.
The hoop that by no means got here
But in spite of the data, All-Famous person appearances and unforgettable playoff moments, one accomplishment remained lacking.
After 11 seasons in Portland, Lillard used to be traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in September 2023, becoming a member of Giannis Antetokounmpo in pursuit of his first NBA championship.
The verdict marked the top of an technology for the Path Blazers. Lillard had transform synonymous with the franchise, however at 33, he sought after the chance to compete for a name whilst nonetheless taking part in at an elite degree. Milwaukee, with a longtime famous person and championship enjoy, gave the impression to be offering precisely that.
The partnership, on the other hand, by no means delivered the postseason luck both sides had envisioned.
All the way through Lillard’s first season with the Greenbacks, Antetokounmpo suffered a left calf damage in a while sooner than the playoffs and neglected Milwaukee’s complete first-round collection towards the Indiana Pacers. Lillard additionally handled accidents, and the Greenbacks have been eradicated in six video games.
The next season introduced an much more tough finishing. After lacking time whilst receiving remedy for a blood clot in his proper calf, Lillard returned for the playoffs, handiest to endure a torn left Achilles tendon right through Recreation 4 towards the Pacers on April twenty seventh, 2025. Milwaukee misplaced the collection 4-1, leaving the crew’s much-anticipated partnership with out a unmarried playoff collection victory.
Simply over two months later, the Greenbacks made every other sudden determination. They waived Lillard and stretched roughly $112.6 million in closing assured wage over 5 seasons, growing room for the coming of Myles Turner. The verdict used to be financially vital and marked an sudden finish to Lillard’s pursuit of a championship in Milwaukee.
However what to begin with appeared like every other main setback quickly opened an sudden door.
In July 2025, Lillard agreed to go back to Portland on a three-year contract. He would spend the next season convalescing from his Achilles damage, however the vacation spot of his comeback used to be already made up our minds.
After leaving Rip Town searching for a championship, he used to be coming house with out the hoop he had was hoping to win.
A well-recognized town, a unique crew
The Portland Path Blazers Lillard is returning to don’t seem to be the similar crew he left in 2023.
Closing season, Portland completed 42-40 and returned to the playoffs, appearing vital growth after a number of years of rebuilding. The franchise now has a more youthful core, larger intensity and ambitions that reach past merely growing ability.
For Lillard, that creates a captivating scenario. He’s not being requested to hold a whole offence, however discovering his position in an more and more crowded rotation might be one of the most greatest demanding situations of his comeback.
Deni Avdija has emerged as a central determine in Portland’s assault. Coming off his first All-Famous person season, right through which he averaged a career-high 24.2 issues in step with recreation, the Israeli ahead has evolved into a flexible scorer and playmaker able to growing alternatives for himself and his teammates.
The coming of Ja Morant provides every other measurement. Few guards can fit Morant’s explosiveness when attacking the basket, and his talent to cave in defences may just create precious alternatives for Lillard at the perimeter. On the identical time, Morant is conversant in controlling the offence, which means the 2 will wish to discover a steadiness between dealing with the ball and taking part in off it.
This is the place Lillard’s capturing may just transform in particular vital.
Despite the fact that he not possesses the similar burst he had previous in his profession, defenders can’t come up with the money for to forget about him past the three-point line. His talent to stretch the ground may provide more space for Morant’s drives and Avdija’s assaults, whilst his enjoy operating pick-and-roll scenarios gives Portland in a different way to generate offence when its preliminary choices wreck down.
Donovan Clingan might be every other beneficiary. The younger centre led the NBA with 4.5 offensive rebounds in step with recreation closing season, giving Portland a vital merit at the glass. His measurement and screening talent additionally make him a probably helpful spouse for Lillard, whose luck within the pick-and-roll has lengthy been a defining a part of his offensive recreation.
The Blazers have vital defensive items as neatly. Toumani Camara brings physicality and the facility to problem opposing perimeter avid gamers, whilst two-time NBA champion Jrue Holiday supplies enjoy, defensive versatility and management. Scoot Henderson stays every other gifted younger guard having a look to ascertain himself, even supposing Shaedon Sharpe‘s knee damage complicates the crew’s backcourt rotation.
Managing the ones other items will probably be a significant activity for brand new head trainer Micah Nori.
Portland have a lot of avid gamers able to dealing with the ball, however that doesn’t routinely translate into an effective offence. Lillard, Morant and Avdija all have enjoy as number one creators, and figuring out who initiates possessions, who performs off the ball and which combos paintings easiest may just take time.
There also are official issues about Lillard’s bodily situation. An Achilles rupture is a major damage for any basketball participant, in particular a guard whose recreation has trusted adjustments of tempo, separation and the facility to make space towards elite defenders.
His February shooting-contest victory demonstrated that his contact stays intact, however it might no longer resolution questions on lateral motion, defensive mobility or the bodily calls for of a complete NBA agenda. At 36, managing his mins and workload shall be simply as vital as discovering his offensive function.
Prior to the damage, Lillard averaged 24.9 issues and seven.1 assists in his ultimate season with Milwaukee. The ones numbers replicate a participant who remained an elite offensive risk neatly into his thirties. Portland would possibly not want that model of him each night time, however every other dependable shot author may just make a distinction in shut video games and towards disciplined playoff defences.
Possibly most significantly, Lillard brings one thing that can’t be measured fully via statistics. He understands what it method to steer the Path Blazers, to stand the expectancies in their enthusiasts and to accomplish underneath postseason drive. For a roster with a number of younger avid gamers nonetheless setting up themselves, that have may just turn out precious.
The problem is discovering a strategy to have the benefit of the whole thing Lillard gives with out slowing the advance of the crew round him.
Yet one more Dame Time?
At 36, Lillard is not anticipated to hold Portland’s offence or ship 30-point performances on a nightly foundation. With a skilled younger core round him, his function will probably be other, however that doesn’t essentially make it any much less vital.
The Path Blazers have taken a step ahead, however competing within the Western Convention stays a substantial problem. If Lillard can keep wholesome, supply dependable scoring and assist Portland transform a extra bad playoff crew, his go back may just turn out precious past the numbers at the stat sheet.
And whilst his first NBA championship ring stays out of achieve, the opportunity of successful it with the franchise the place his profession started provides every other layer to the tale.
Dame Time would possibly not appearance precisely because it as soon as did. However in Rip Town, the clock has no longer stopped simply but.