The secrete to Dame's late game magic

By Joe Freeman

CLEVELAND — After Damian Lillard hit yet another game-winning shot to deliver the Trail Blazers yet another victory on Tuesday night, I asked him when he knew he was having a special night, when he knew he was “feeling it.”

“When he got off the bus,” Wesley Matthews shouted from a nearby locker.

Not quite. But Lillard sure seems born to makes special plays in special moments. His dagger three against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday was his third game-winner this season — if you count that driving layup against the Suns — and fourth in his brief career, and he says the secret to his late-game success dates back to when he was a kid.

When Lillard was growing up in Oakland, he and his older brother, Houston, played basketball constantly. And after every game — whether it was a game of HORSE, a game of 21 or an outing with friends — he and his brother always ended things the same way.

“Right before we left, before we put the ball down, it would always be, ‘3 … 2 … 1 …’ and we’d shoot that last shot,” Lillard said. “That was the best part. We’d play for three hours and that last three seconds was the most fun to me. I would never leave without hitting the game-winner and we always did it.”

So when Lillard burned Rodney Stuckey with a game-winning fadeaway jumper in a win over the Detroit Pistons, when he froze Alonzo Gee with a dramatic pull-up three-pointer in a win over the Cavaliers, it was just like those times when he and Houston ended their games as children.

“That’s the same feeling I get at the end of games (in the NBA),” Lillard said.

He loved the end-of-game moments with his brother. He lives for them now.

“I think for a lot of players, that’s kind of what you live for, that moment to kind of rise to the occasion,” Lillard said of taking game-winners. “That’s my favorite part of the game. When it’s game on the line, coming down to that last possession, that’s my favorite part of the game.”

 

Don't secrete anything on to me...

 

His secret is that he can spell secret.

BNM

 

J/K Mags. Loved the read, thanks for posting the link. My brother and I used to do the same thing when we were kids. Obviously, it worked better for Lillard. Helps if you have talent, I suppose.

BNM

 

Doh!!!!!

 

It's amazing how things you do at such a young age molds you into the person you are today.

 

Or not, in my case.

Actually, I have hit many game winners in my lengthy career, just on a much, much smaller stage. So, maybe practicing those last second shots as a kid with my big brother helped take me as far as my limited talent would allow. Who knows, it was still a good read.

BNM

 

Nice story, but who didn't do that as a kid? My driveway was home to many Jordan vs Drexler last second game 7 shots, then when I missed I had just barely enough time to get the rebound for another last second shot.

 

Only in my case, growing up in small town Indiana about a billion years ago, it wasn't Michael Jordan, it was Bobby Plump.

BNM

 

You're fucking old as dirt!!!!! Just kidding

 

Yeah, but I'd still dominate your ass in a game of 1-on-1 - as long as I remember to unlock the wheels on my walker first.

BNM

 

I 100% agree. I sucked playing basketball. I wasn't even good at making layups.

 

The Closer

 

This. Imagine what that's like as the tallest kid in your class. =\

 

The King of Clutch

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/12/18/damian-lillard-the-new-king-of-clutch/

 

OK first, repped for sharing this. Second, it's so good it bears repeating!

Man, we are SO lucky to have him on our team. Between Lillard, Aldridge and company, is it any wonder this team is 17-1 in games decided by 12 points or less? This team just does not lose close games. The only close game we've lost was to Dallas on Monta's buzzer beater, and I honestly believe if we would have had time for one more possession, we would have won that one, too. Seriously, give us the last possession and we're going to win. It started last year as Lillard, Aldridge, Batum and Matthews all hit buzzer beaters, and has carried over big time to this season.

This is such a refreshing change from Nate's last season and a half here where the team was something like 1-13 in close games. Of course, he didn't have Damian Lillard, but something tells me even if he did, he would not be able to take full advantage his options the way Stotts does. That's the thing, as good as Lillard is, he's just one of four options we have with the game on the line. By sharing the ball, you force the defense to play straight up. Notice last night Cleveland didn't double Lillard to force the ball out of his hands, because if they would have it would have left one of Batum, Matthews, Aldridge or Mo Williams wide open - and Lillard would have found that open man.

BNM

 

I wanna see you guys playing one on one.

 

It would be like a soccer game, a scoreless tie at the end of regulation.

BNM

 

It would be ugly

 

This story is disappointing. I thought it was going to be an anecdote about Paul Allen setting up a play date with Lillard and Lynch, and Lynch giving Lillard a bag of Skittles to eat during clutch situations.