“Put your big boy pants on” Damian Lillard passes on the torch to teammate Anfernee Simons with inspiring words
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Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons
Damian Lillard has been a cornerstone for the Portland Trail Blazers for many years now making them one of the best offensive teams in the NBA along the way. He is currently in his 10th season with the league but time may be running out for Dame. It has nothing to do with his ability but everything to do with age.
The 32-year-old has had some incredible moments battling it out from the three-point line with the greatest shooter of all time and scoring history numbers. He happens to be one of the only players to have recorded multiple 60-point games. After going 2-0 since the commencement of the 2022-23 regular season, Lillard claims he is ready to pass on the torch.
The player he mentioned was Anfernee Simons. During the post-game interview, the veteran point guard said, “I told him, ‘I trust you. Put your big boy pants on…’ And he came through for us. He’s going to have to be able to deal with not making a lot of shots, struggling, and still being able to come up big. That’s what being a big-time player is all about.”
Simons is certainly an underdog when compared to other players of his draft class but the young baller helped the Blazers through their tough times. He averaged 17.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game last season proving his versatility along the way while Damian Lillard was absent due to an injury.
Damian Lillard looks for a shot at redemption against the Phoenix Suns
Portland had one of the worst records in the entire league last season finishing with only 27 victories. After last night’s performance, the team seems like a potential threat to the defending champions in the West. They beat the previous year’s top seed Phoenix Suns 113-111. Both teams threw offensive exchanges consistently but it was the Suns’ issue with fouls that gave the Blazers a good chance of winning.
Ultimately during the overtime, the Blazers were able to win the game as Anfernee Simons bagged a hook shot with 7.2 seconds left on the clock. Damian Lillard recorded an insane 41 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in the game backed by Simons’ 16 points. Jusuf Nurkic had a great 20 points and 17 rebounds performance that also heightened the Blazers’ offense.
Also read: Alonzo Mourning gives first look at 56-year-old Dikembe Mutombo amid battle with brain tumor
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Rakibul John Rodgers
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