Near the end of a night that likely will be immortalized as one of the most timely performances in Trail Blazers history, Damian Lillard let fly with another long 3-pointer. As the shot drifted toward the basket, it was the most precarious of times. Portland was entwined in a four-way tie for the right to be the final playoff seed, and here they were, trailing Dallas by three, with 90 seconds left. A loss wouldn’t end the Blazers season, but it would take away their ability to control their own destiny Thursday, when Portland, Phoenix, San Antonio and Memphis play their final seeding games in the NBA restart. So as the ball sailed toward the basket, it felt like more than just a shot. It felt like a season was riding on it. “When I let it go, I shot it real straight,” Lillard said. “I was like, ‘That’s on line.’ I thought it was going to go in.” It hit the back of the rim, which 99 percent of the time translates to a miss. But this shot, at this time, went straight up. It not only went straight up, but it also went straight up so high that it eclipsed the top of the shot clock mounted above the backboard. And then, the improbable: The ball didn’t carom to the left or the right or forward. It went straight down and into the basket for a score-tying 3-pointer. The basket was the final points of Lillard’s 61-point effort, and although he would assist Hassan Whiteside for the go-ahead basket, and CJ McCollum would make two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to seal the 134-131 win Tuesday, it is that shot that Lillard will forever remember. The shot was so odd, so rare … and it happened at such an important moment, during a historic performance that Lillard figured it had to be sent from above. See, in May, Lillard’s cousin, Brandon Johnson, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 35. Known as Chef B, Johnson cooked for Lillard, McCollum and several other Trail Blazers players. “It dropped in, and you know, I think that was my cousin,” Lillard said. “Rest in peace, Chef B. I think that was him dropping that in for me.” Every morning, Chef B would make the rounds to his clients. Come to Lillard’s home and cook him breakfast. Then head over to McCollum’s home. “His breakfast was sensational,” McCollum said. “He made these pound cake pancakes with 7-Up syrup, and it was incredible.” But May 1, he didn’t show up to Lillard’s home. So Lillard drove to Brandon’s home. “I went over to his house to see what was going on, and when I got there, he had just passed,” Lillard said. “So I was able to get there and say my goodbyes, and he was just laid there and they put him in a peaceful place. And you know, we prayed over his body, you know … said our goodbyes.” He called McCollum, one of his best friends, and the two leaned on what they call their “brotherhood.” Lillard, who has said he rarely cries, broke down. “Me and CJ, we cried together,” Lillard said. Said McCollum: “We cried for a while. Cried there. Cried outside. Cried inside. I don’t want to go into details, because it hurts. Every time you walk past the kitchen, every time you eat, you think of him and his family. It’s never going to go away.” For Lillard, 30, his family is everything. More than 20 family members have moved from Oakland to Portland, and he is proud that they all support themselves. Brandon’s passing was the first time one of his cousins in his inner circle had passed. “He was just the person who was on top of a lot of things for me,” Lillard said. “He wore a lot of hats for me … he was my right-hand man. Everything I needed, he did for me.” In recent weeks, Lillard has been at times edgy with media and players, and sensitive to how fans sometimes view players as jerseys, and not humans who have issues like the rest of us. When teammate Jusuf Nurkic two weeks ago revealed his grandmother was battling COVID-19, Lillard credited Nurkic’s ability to focus and perform while noting that media and fans often mistake the money players are paid makes them immune to everyday problems. And this week, he went back-and-forth with Clippers players Paul George and Patrick Beverley when they mocked him for missing two potential go-ahead free throws with 18 seconds left that contributed to a Blazers loss. He also shot back at talk-show host Skip Bayless. And then Tuesday, after his 61-point performance, he snarled on the court and barked toward press row to “put respect on my fucking name.” He said it wasn’t directed at anyone in particular. “Whoever has something to say,” Lillard said. “There were just a bunch of people on the opposite side, press-row area … those are the people who usually have something to say, or put out what they put out, so it was just in that direction.” He has long used perceived slights to motivate him, but that kind of motivation has subsided over the years as his resume and stature in the league has elevated. But now, with his team fighting for the postseason, Lillard has once again absorbed and internalized something that is fueling him. Whatever it is, it’s working. In seven games in Orlando, Lillard is averaging 37 points and 9.3 assists. He has also sought out some of the toughest defensive assignments, most notably taking on Jayson Tatum and Michael Porter Jr. And Tuesday, with the Blazers clinging to a one-point lead in the final seconds, he drew an offensive foul on Dallas guard Trey Burke. As a result, Portland is 5-2 and with a win Thursday over Brooklyn will clinch the eighth seed and await a play-in game Saturday with whichever team among Phoenix, Memphis and San Antonio finishes ninth. So, yeah, when that 3-pointer with 90 seconds left and the Blazers trailing by three bounced high above the backboard, it was a rather stressful moment for the Blazers. And as the ball remarkably fell through the net, it was a reminder that sometimes, in some situations, there is more than meets the eye. “Losing him, it hurt,” Lillard said. “It was tough. I just try to continue what he would want me to do. I’ve just been dealing with it that way, trying to continue on the path that he was proud of.” ... Jason Quick is a Staff Writer for The Athletic, covering the Portland Trail Blazers. From Damon Stoudamire to Damian Lillard, he has covered the team for the past 21 seasons. He has been named Oregon Sportswriter of the Year four times by the National Sports Media Association and has been recognized by APSE and the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Follow Jason on Twitter @jwquick. https://theathletic.com/1990934/202...1-point-masterpiece-got-some-help-from-above/
