From 2012 to 2015, Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge were the face of the Portland Trail Blazers Franchise. In just three seasons together, they became a dynamic NBA duo.
In his first season, Lillard was voted the MVP while Aldridge was on the verge of an All-Star Game appearance. That year, the Trail Blazers went 33-49 and missed the playoffs, but the next two years saw major improvements.
During the 2013-14 season, the Trail Blazers went 54-28 and made it to the playoffs. Unfortunately, they faced a team on their way to the championship. San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals and were sent home after a gentlemen’s sweep.
On Season 2, Episode 93 of Club 520Hosts Jeff Teague and DJ Wells spoke to Lillard about his extensive career covering Dame Time and his big stories: “the shot” against Paul George, playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, battling Russell Westbrook, facing Steph Curry and making the NBA’s all-time top 75 list.
At 5:30 p.m., Lillard shared:
“If he had never gone to San Antonio, we would have won at least once by now. I could have flourished, but he was so good.”
LaMarcus was one of the top free agents heading into the summer of 2015. And with his ties to Texas and his family in mind, he chose the San Antonio Spurs who had just won an NBA title a year earlier.
Aldridge seemed like a natural transition for Tim Duncan, with the Spurs legend contemplating retirement. LMA had the assets to build a new Big 3 with Kawhi Leonard, the latter of whom has racked up DPOY and Finals MVP honors.
For Dame, it will remain a “what could have been.”
For the Spurs, that never really happened. Not because of Aldridge, but because Leonard’s quad injury limited the duo’s playing time and the drama that followed reduced The Klaw’s time on the roster.
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