PORTLAND, Ore. – Damian Lillard provided the emblematic moment for the Trail Blazers' resurgence, a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that propelled Portland into the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons.
Following the 3 against the Houston Rockets, which gave the Blazers a 4-2 series victory, Lillard grabbed the public address microphone at courtside and screamed "Rip City!"
The Blazers were considered an iffy pick to even get to the playoffs, let alone make it past the first round. But a couple of key acquisitions and maturation in its star players made Portland one of the most promising teams in the NBA.
Portland won 54 games and returned to the playoffs after a two-year absence.
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