The answer is yes.
After watching all of you dance in the aisles, some of you taking your shirts off and waving them above your head … after watching the Trail Blazers rush the court, and LaMarcus Aldridge saying he wouldn’t let go of Damian Lillard for “three minutes” … after hearing the roars, wave after wave after wave as the replay unfolded on the scoreboard screen … after hearing the players singing in the showers … after sitting before this screen, trying to put it all into perspective, all I can say is …
Yes.
Damian Lillard just hit the greatest shot in Trail Blazers history.
And because of it, the Trail Blazers have won a playoff series for the first time in 14 seasons.
Even in today’s world, where anything and everything is quickly anointed the greatest this or that, it’s hard to argue that Lillard’s 25-foot three-pointer off an inbounds pass that started with 0.9 seconds left isn’t the most difficult, most dramatic and most important shot in this franchise’s 45-year history.
“This city has been waiting for this type of moment, this night, for a long time,’’ Aldridge said. “They probably still cheering in their cars, in their houses.’’
Yes, Maurice Lucas hit a game-winner to beat Denver in Game 1 of the 1977 Western Conference semifinals, a shot that continued the Blazers’ unexpected journey to the NBA title.
But it didn’t end a series.
And yes, Brandon Roy hit a 30-footer with 0.8 seconds left in overtime, off an inbounds pass, to beat Houston in 2008, in a shot that coach Nate McMillan said “came from the heavens.”
But that was in November. In the regular season.
In fact, this was the first buzzer-beating shot to win a playoff series since John Stockton beat Houston in 1997.
There have been incredible moments in this arena before, but never like this.
You celebrated after Roy’s magical Game 4 against Dallas in the 2011 playoffs , when he scored 18 fourth quarter points to lead Portland to victory after trailing by 23.
But it didn’t include what Lillard did Friday: him striding around the entire perimeter of the court, steely-eyed and dragging teammates, giving each section a chance to serenade him.
It was like Game 6 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals, when Scottie Pippen strutted around the court with his arms raised after the Blazers forced that fateful Game 7, the crowd roaring so loud it hurt.
Lillard topped that, too. At the end of his trip around the court, he was interviewed by ESPN. People stayed and danced, and roared each time the replay of the final shot was shown. When he was done with his interview, he went to the scorer’s table and grabbed the microphone.
“RIP CIIIIIIIIITY!”
When he said it, it came not from his larynx, not from his lungs, but from his stomach.I swear the place shook.
The sound, the feeling, the memory being etched … this is why we fall in love with sports. This is why we unite as a city. This is why the Trail Blazers mean so much to all of us.
“I felt like they deserved to be rewarded,’’ Lillard said of grabbing the mic. “And us sticking out on the court and kind of rallying and chanting with the crowd for a while, I think that’s what Portland has been looking for for a long time.’’
It’s been some time before a team had both the combination of talent and connectivity to this city as much as this team.
It starts with coach Terry Stotts, who forged a connection and passion for Jack Ramsay and his style long before the legendary coach fell deathly ill this winter.
But perhaps never before has a team understood so much what this city wants from its team, and why. It wants a team that plays hard, plays together, and plays with flair. And, it wants the team to care about them.
It wants 1977 all over again.
That’s why as his teammates sang behind him in the showers, Wesley Matthews soaked in the significance of why few left the arena long after the final buzzer. He knew why the people were dancing. He knew why people’s shirts were off.
“I’m excited for Portland,’’ Matthews said. “Of course, I’m excited for us, the grueling grind of a season, you want to win and advance. But for such a prideful fan base, and city, and the state of Oregon … it’s unbelievable. I’m excited for them. Be safe tonight, Portland.’’
Who could blame a city for partying after watching one of the best series in recent memory end with the greatest shot in franchise history?
My answer is this: pace yourselves, Portland.
Because after you danced in the aisles, after you took your shirt off, and after you roared so loud the concrete winced, Damian Lillard showered, got dressed, and spoke into a press conference microphone that broadcast to the world.
“It’s definitely the biggest shot of my life,’’ he said answering a question.
Then there was a pause, ever so slight.
“So far.’’
--Jason Quick | @jwquick
No comments:
Post a Comment