Damian Lillard: ‘I’m 10 toes in Rip City’
“Honestly, it doesn’t shift my focus either way,” Lillard said. “During starting lineups, they were booing everybody and then they cheered when I came through. I thought that was funny. That comes with professional sports. It’s fun, it’s a public thing, so I’m not uptight about it or acting like I don’t recognize it. “I know what it is and I know what it’s about. But I’m a Trail Blazer. I appreciate the love. I appreciate the respect that they showed and the desire or whatever but I’m 10 toes in Rip City, and I’ve said that time and time again and tonight I laughed about it during starting lineups but that was that.”
Source: Tim Bontemps @ ESPN
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
New ESPN story: Damian Lillard is off to the worst start of his career. But he remains confident things will turn around — and said after Monday’s loss to the shorthanded 76ers that enduring these struggles is a sign of “true character.” espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 12:01 AM
Jason Quick @jwquick
Lillard on the “We want Lillard”chants tonight in Philadelphia: “I’ve got 10 toes in Rip City.” – 10:19 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Lillard on the cheers and chants from the Philly crowd. “I’m a Trail Blazer … I’m ten toes in Rip City.” – 10:03 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Lillard on the chants from the Philadelphia crowd, “the City of Brotherly Love … they showed me love.” – 9:56 PM
Tas Melas @TasMelas
Sometimes Georges Niang scores more points than Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum in a basketball game. – 9:21 PM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Tired: Beating the Blazers to convince Lillard to force a trade to Philly
Wired: Beating the Blazers without three starters to convince Lillard to request a trade to Philly phillyvoice.com/sixers-blazers… – 9:20 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Final: Sixers 113, Blazers 103. What a wild game. Four starters out, “We Want Lillard” chants in the arena, and Philly wins anyway. This loss hurts for Portland. Damian Lillard finishes with 20 points and 10 assists, but shot just 7-for-20 from the field and 2-for-9 from 3. – 9:14 PM
Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
To recap the Sixers’ day: Joel Embiid sits out, Tobias Harris in health and safety protocols, Danny Green hurt hamstring, still no Ben Simmons, fans chanting “We want Lillard!” all night, all sorts of weirdness.
They beat the full-strength Blazers by 10. Remarkable performance. – 9:13 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Blazers down the stretch going four guards (Lillard, McColllum, Powell and Simons) and Nurkic. Not one I’ve seen Chauncey Billups go to often. – 9:05 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Here comes Dame. – 9:05 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Damian Lillard is showing some signs of life. Now two straight driving layups, including an and-one layup here, to get Portland back within 5. Somehow, though, this shorthanded Sixers team is hanging onto the lead. – 9:03 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Another and-1 for Niang, takin advantage of the much smaller Lillard guarding him. He’s got 18 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. His career-high in scoring is 24. – 8:55 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Damian Lillard checks back in with 8:50 to go and the Blazers down 91-88. Would be a fine time for him to finally get going after a rough first three quarters. Portland was down as many as 12, but has made this a one-possession game with a late surge. – 8:51 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
It’s so strange to see Damian Lillard missing so many 3s. These are shots he normally makes in his sleep. – 8:15 PM
Jason Quick @jwquick
Lillard from field this season:
Phoenix 6-of-11
At LAC 4-of-15
Memphis 6-of-22
LAC 9-of-17
At Char 5-of-20
At Phil 2-of-11 (first half)
That’s 33% FG. He’s 14-of-63 on 3-pointers (22.2%)
Don’t think I’ve ever seen such drastic and prolonged slump from him. – 8:09 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Who cursed Damian Lillard? Halloween is over. You can lift that mess now. – 8:06 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Halftime here in Philly, with the Sixers leading 54-53. Dame Lillard’s season-long cold streak continues, as he’s now 2-for-11 in the first half, and 1-for-7 from 3. Seth Curry leads a balanced Philly attack with 10 points. Sixers have had all 10 players score, but have no FTAs. – 8:01 PM
Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Improbably, Sixers lead 54-53 at the half. Big reason is that Lillard is 2-11 from the field and 1-8 from deep. Sixers took zero free throws, though they did get some easy shots at the rim with ball movement. All ten Sixers scored at least one bucket. – 8:01 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Halftime: Sixers 54, Blazers 53
Good Sixers things: Lillard and McCollum are a combined 7-of-25 from the floor and 3-of-14 from 3.
Bad Sixers thing: They have not shot a free throw.
Good sportswriter thing: That half was less than an hour (so prep for five OTs) – 8:00 PM
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
Damian Lillard is now 3-29 from 3 on the road.
11-34 at home – 8:00 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
After missing another wide open 3-pointer, Damian Lillard put his hands on his knees and shook his head. He’s now 1-for-8 overall and 1-for-5 from 3 in this game. For the season, he’s now shooting 33.3 percent from the field and 22.9 percent (14-for-61) from 3-point range. – 7:54 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Lillard’s bizarre shooting struggles have continued into the first half of this one. Now 1-6 from the floor, 1-3 from three. Entered the game shooting 23.2% from three. – 7:52 PM
Casey Holdahl @CHold
I don’t think Dame is down, but I do think he’s at a loss. Some of these misses are inexplicable. – 7:51 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are shooting a combined 2/11 through 1 quarter. Philly leads it 27-21 after 1. Seth Curry has 7 and Andre Drummond has 6 and 8. #Sixers – 7:33 PM
The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA
“We want Lillard!” chants break out in Philly 🙃
(via @NBCSPhilly)
pic.twitter.com/xK5ZR6FVma – 7:28 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Fans here are actively rooting for Damian Lillard to have a big night. Every time Lillard touches the ball, there are a few fans that go are up and cheering for him. #Sixers – 7:22 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
A “We Want Lillard” chant has broken out in Philadelphia. – 7:15 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
“We want Lillard!” chants happening now as Dame shoots free throws. – 7:15 PM
Casey Holdahl @CHold
A “WE WANT LILLARD” chant breaks out… while he’s at the foul line. THE THIRST. – 7:15 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
A standing ovation and loud cheers for Damian Lillard as he’s introduced tonight. Philly fans really wanna woo him here. #Sixers – 7:04 PM
Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
lolololol, the fans did the “sucks” chant after every player and then Dame Lillard got all cheers – 7:03 PM
Casey Holdahl @CHold
Four out of the five starters get the standard Philly “SUCKS!” treatment except for Dame, who gets a strong round of applause… – 7:03 PM
Justin Grasso @JGrasso_
Loud cheers from #Sixers fans as Damian Lillard gets introduced tonight #Blazers – 7:03 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Dame Lillard gets lots of cheers when introduced as part of the Blazers’ starting lineup. – 7:03 PM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Loud ovation for Damian Lillard during lineup intros. No boos. – 7:03 PM
Jon Johnson @jonjohnsonwip
Advice to Sixers fans in attendance tonight: In pregame intros, give Damian Lillard a standing ovation. – 6:23 PM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
The #Blazers’ Damian Lillard shooting pregame 3-pointers Monday: pic.twitter.com/RI5GQugcqG – 5:31 PM
Justin Grasso @JGrasso_
Dame Lillard gearing up for his matchup against the #Sixers tonight pic.twitter.com/rbK2wq0bmF – 5:29 PM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers coach Doc Rivers on the #Blazers’ starting backcourt of Lillard and McCollum: ‘You rarely see guards who can make plays for themselves and others.’ – 5:20 PM
Casey Holdahl @CHold
Von just got traded, Shump is on Dancing with the Stars and Dame is still Dame youtube.com/watch?v=hj6j0e… – 12:51 PM
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
Trending down
Damian Lillard from 3 in losses: 2/31
Giving free points away: 13 teams below 75% FT
Houston in the 1H: -40 in last 2G
Jayson Tatum FGA: 3 games of 28+ (2 last year) – 9:27 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Give ‘Em To Me! I want your predictions for today’s #Sixers vs. #Blazers game. I want the winner, final score and point totals for Joel Embiid and Dame Lillard. #NBA #PhilaUnite #76ers #Philly – 7:18 AM
More on this storyline
Billups admitted he heard them, too. “I mean, I wasn’t surprised at all,” Billups said. “When they were saying, ‘We want Lillard,’ I was saying, ‘We do, too.’ “I mean, I understand and I get it. Philly’s got a great fan base, they pull no punches. I’ve always appreciated that about this city.” -via ESPN / November 2, 2021
Justin Grasso: “We Want Lillard” chants breaking out at the Wells Fargo Center #Sixers #Blazers -via Twitter @JGrasso_ / November 1, 2021
Justin Grasso: The “We Want Lillard” chants getting loud #Sixers #Blazers pic.twitter.com/Z0wnZt2RFj -via Twitter @JGrasso_ / November 1, 2021
