Damian Lillard addressed reporters after the Portland Trail Blazers’ 4–1 first-round series loss to the San Antonio Spurs, offering a detailed assessment of a season he missed entirely due to an Achilles injury.
The veteran guard, speaking in the end-of-season press conference, described the campaign as competitive despite the early playoff exit. “We had a great season in my opinion, just taking a big step for our group, making it back to the playoffs,” Lillard said.
He pointed to the team’s response to adversity throughout the year. “There were a lot of opportunities for us to fold and pack it in, and we didn’t,” he added. “I was proud just as a teammate and being part of this organization again to see how we responded.”
Lillard, who remained around the team while sidelined, detailed how watching from the bench reshaped his understanding of the game. “I was able to see the game a little bit differently, kind of from a coach’s perspective,” he said. “What should we do now, what is the other team trying to do? I was able to watch the game from that lens.”
He also highlighted the value of observing teammates closely. “Seeing what they do when they play well, seeing where they might struggle, seeing where our team struggles… that was kind of my position throughout the season.”
On interim head coach Tiago Splitter, Lillard offered praise for handling an unexpected role. “I thought he did well… I think a lot of our success down the stretch is because of how much he put into it,” Lillard said.
Looking ahead, he emphasized roster growth and shot-making as key priorities. “The obvious thing is we just need to be a better shooting team,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to capitalize on those opportunities.”
Lillard also tied improvement to experience gained in the postseason. “We saw what it was like and we came up short,” he said. “That’s the one thing that will make us better.”
He noted that he had considered an early return during the playoffs but ultimately weighed disruption risks. “I definitely thought about it,” he said. “But I wouldn’t want to be disruptive to where we had come to.”
On his recovery, Lillard confirmed progress. “I’ve already started… I’ll continue to keep playing like I’ve been playing,” he said, referring to live on-court work.
He also reflected on the organization’s offseason uncertainty involving Chauncey Billups, who has been under criminal investigation. “It was tough for me… I just felt bad for him having to experience that,” he said.
Lillard added that his impressions of new owner Tom Dundon were positive. “You can tell that he’s super competitive… I respect that,” he said of the ownership group.
The Trail Blazers finished the regular season 42–40 and reached the playoffs before falling to the Spurs, with expectations now shifting toward internal development and offseason improvement.
