Damian Lillard more determined to lead Trail Blazers to title after watching Bucks win: ‘I was even more convinced’

Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard said he recently gained some new hope about the possibility of winning an NBA title with Portland.

“I was sitting there, and I was like, it can really be done,” Lillard told Jason Quick of The Athletic when referencing some teams who have gone on improbable runs to the NBA Finals in recent years. “That’s how I feel: It can be done.”

Lillard added that the Milwaukee Bucks’ run to the 2021 NBA title pushed his belief even further.

“I was even more convinced,” he said of the Bucks’ championship.

Lillard has been unsuccessfully trying to get the Blazers to the NBA Finals since he joined the organization in 2012. But it’s clear that he’s not ready to give up yet.

“Sometimes, it happens when it was least expected,” Lillard said. “You just never know.”

The six-time All-Star is one of the best guards in the NBA, and he has spent his entire career with Portland. There was some speculation throughout the offseason about Lillard potentially being traded, but nothing materialized.

Lillard averaged 28.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game last season. He shot 45.1 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from deep.

Portland is a perennial playoff team, but reaching the NBA Finals has been a struggle. The Blazers are surely hoping that the 2021-22 season will be different.