Damian Lillard didn’t need much time to remind everybody why “Dame Time” still matters.
At 36 and back from a ruptured Achilles, Lillard delivered the shot that broke the Los Angeles Lakers’ resistance on Tuesday night, lifting the Portland Trail Blazers to a 136-129 win and keeping them perfect through three games.
The game lived on a knife’s edge deep into the fourth quarter, with neither team able to shake loose. Then, with about 45 seconds left and Portland clinging to a 132-129 edge, the Blazers put the ball in Lillard’s hands after a kickout from Deni Avdija and let him create.
Lillard did exactly that. He shook former teammate Matisse Thybulle with the fake, and when Ziaire Williams had to fly out from distance, the Lakers had no real answer for the attempt. Lillard buried his fourth three-pointer of the night, pushing the lead to six and effectively sealing the result.
The Blazers didn’t exactly keep their celebration quiet. Lillard borrowed Avdija’s signature three-point gesture first, and then the familiar Dame Time routine followed after the Lakers used a timeout, with Ja Morant getting that started.
Portland’s offense looked loaded all night, and the box score backed it up. The Blazers had four players finish with at least 20 points: Avdija and Morant with 23 apiece, Jrue Holiday with 22, and Lillard with 21.
There was more than just scoring on display, too. Portland also showed it has the defensive personnel to help offset the size issues in its backcourt.
Through his first three games back from injury, Lillard is averaging 21.7 points while shooting 45.2% from the field and 42.3% from three.
Ja Morant with a big clutch bucket, Luka Doncic hits a tough clutch shot over Timelord to give him 41 points.
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) October 28, 2026
Deni Avdija passes to Damian Lillard for the step back 3 dagger and announcing 'Dame Time'
WHAT A GAME
9 assists for Deni#RipCity
ג'ה מוראנט עם סל גדול בקלאץ', אבל…
In Other News...
Blazers Sent A Message By Outmuscling Luka And The Lakers
The Trail Blazers did more than survive a shootout with the Lakers, they won the physical side of it. Portland's 136-129 victory came even with Luka Doncic pouring in 41 points and Austin Reaves adding 26, because the Blazers kept answering at the other end and repeatedly turned the game into a test of shot-making, effort and presence on the glass.
What stood out for Portland was not just the scoring, but the way it controlled the margins that usually decide games like this. The Blazers shot better, got to the line more often and won the rebounding battle, a combination that let them absorb the Lakers' firepower and still finish on top in a game that was never short on offense. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Exposed A Big Lakers Problem Even On Lukas Night
Luka Doncic gave the Lakers exactly the sort of explosive scoring night they hoped for, piling up 40 points against the Trail Blazers and adding another entry to a growing list of big performances in Los Angeles. It was his 20th career 40-point game for the Lakers, pushing him past LeBron James for sixth on the franchises all-time list in that category, a notable marker even in a loss.
But Portland still walked away with a 136-129 win, which is the part that should linger for the Lakers. When one of the leagues most dangerous scorers can post a night like that and it still isnt enough, it points to how much the rest of the roster has to hold up around him. For the Blazers, it was a reminder that they can absorb a star outburst and still find a way to finish the job. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers May Have Avoided A Giannis Problem Miami Couldn't
Giannis Antetokounmpo briefly loomed as an offseason possibility for the Trail Blazers, but Portland never got to the finish line on a deal. His hesitation about a long-term commitment and preference to stay in the Eastern Conference helped shape that outcome, along with a desire to keep his championship pursuit aligned with staying closer to Greece. For a Blazers team trying to map out its next era, it was the kind of star swing that could have changed the franchises direction overnight.
Miami is now living with the realities of that kind of move after landing Giannis, and the opening stretch has not exactly looked like the instant contender blueprint the Heat hoped for. A poor start has already raised questions about how quickly the roster can support a title push, which only adds another layer to Portlands what-if. The Blazers may not have landed the biggest name in the conversation, but they also avoided the immediate pressure that comes with trying to make a championship timeline work from day one. [Read more 🡒]