Lillard after Blazers' 1st-round exit: 'Where we are isn't good enough'
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard knows his team has a long way to go to make a championship run after another early playoff exit.
"I mean, we didn't win a championship so obviously where we are now isn't good enough," Lillard said following the Blazers' season-ending 126-115 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 6, according to ESPN's Royce Young. "I don't know what a shake-up looks like or what changes will be made or could be made, but obviously as it is wasn't good enough."
Down 14 points at one point, Denver outscored Portland 47-22 over the final 16:16 of the game to secure the victory. Nikola Jokic shined with 27 points in the second half while regularly torching the Blazers' defense.
Despite a significant roster overhaul that included adding Robert Covington and Enes Kanter in the offseason, as well as the acquisition of Norman Powell at the trade deadline, the Trail Blazers struggled once again come playoff time. The team has now lost back-to-back first-round series and failed to make it past Round 1 in four of the last five seasons.
"Obviously where we are isn't good enough to win a championship if it's not good enough to get out of a first-round series with two of their best three or four players not on the floor," Lillard added.
Lillard did all he could to try and help his team extend the series, finishing Game 6 with 28 points and 13 assists to follow up his masterful 55-point outburst in Game 5. Portland's franchise cornerstone averaged 34.3 points and 10.1 assists in six games while setting a playoff record with 35 3-pointers in the series.
Following the series loss, Lillard posted a photo on Instagram coupled with a cryptic caption referencing a verse from late music artist Nipsey Hussle, igniting speculation towards his future in Portland.
Lillard became the first player in NBA history to register 200 points and 60 assists in a six-game playoff series, according to ESPN Stats & Info. LeBron James, Jerry West, and Oscar Robertson are the only three other players to reach those totals in a playoff series.
The Blazers' offseason shake-up is likely to get started with a coaching change. It was previously reported the organization intended to part ways with head coach Terry Stotts barring an extended playoff run.