PORTLAND, OR -- The dream of going undefeated this season is over.
After starting their 2022-23 campaign with four-straight wins, the Trail Blazers dropped their first loss of the season 119-98 to the Miami Heat in front of a crowd of 18,588 Wednesday night at Moda Center.
“I thought we got off to a good start, which I thought was important. They turned the tide on us,” said head coach Chauncey Billups. “I thought their pressure hurt us in the game, their pace in the half court and the full court hurt us, but the shot-making was good.”
Portland is now 4-1 overall and 2-1 at home this season.
Jerami Grant finished the game with 11 points, four assists and three rebounds. Anfernee Simons added 14 points and Josh Hart turned in his typical yeoman effort with 10 points, six assists, six rebounds, three steals and a block in 31 minutes. Rookie Shaedon Sharpe came off the bench to post 15 points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes.
But the result wasn’t the worst news of the evening, as Damian Lillard left the game midway through the third quarter with a right calf strain and did not return.
“Calf just tightened up,” said Lillard. “Before the game it was a little bit tight, like a little bit irritated, but nothing that I hadn’t felt before. As the game went on it wasn’t getting worse but I was aware of it. At halftime I put my calf sleeve on underneath by tights just because I wanted to put some compression on it.”
Lillard seemed to aggravate his right calf on a three-point attempt, which he made, with 6:07 to play in the third quarter. He stayed in the game for another possession, but quickly exited after turning the ball over.
“It felt the same to start the third and on the last shot that I made, when I rose up real quick, I just felt it get real tight,” said Lillard. “Went back on defense just to see how it would feel, it felt fine running up the court and then the next time I did another move, I tried to stop and I just felt how tight it was. It wasn’t like something happened, it was just like let me get it off the. court and see what’s going on.
“It wasn’t nothing I was overly concerned with, I just knew it wouldn’t make sense to try to push through it in the fifth game of the season.”
Lillard went through a battery of tests to gauge the severity of the strain, all of which he said he was able to complete. He also did not have an MRI, which, along with Lillard’s own declarations, would seem to indicate the injury is relatively moderate.
“I mean honestly, if this was a playoff game, I would have played,” said the All-Star guard. “It would have been tight and uncomfortable, but I would have played, if that gives you any indication of how concerned I am now or would have been. If it was really on the line, I would have played.”
While Lillard was adamant that the injury wasn’t serious, he also noted that he would likely sit out Friday’s game versus the Rockets, which will be Portland’s fourth game in six days. The Trail Blazers have four days off after Friday’s contest, giving him nearly a full week to heal before they host the Grizzlies in the last game of a four-game homestand on November 2.
“Now I’ve got to be smart,” said Lillard. “Just make sure I’m getting a couple treatment sessions in each day and just try to stretch it. Probably not going to be playing in that game Friday, that’ll give me six days of maybe two sessions, some days three sessions some other days, try to be ready for (Memphis) but we’ll see.”
In the past, Lillard might have tried to force his way back onto the court before he was healthy enough to do so. But with the perspective that comes with experience and age, he’s come to realize there’s a better way to deal with such situations. Lillard still takes great pride in being a “gamer,” but he also has learned not to let his pride write checks that his body can’t cash.
“My perspective has changed, I want to be in it for the duration, for the long haul of the season,” said Lillard, who left Wednesday’s game with 22 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal in 26 minutes. ‘And it’s early. We’ve gotten off to a good start, things feel good and I haven’t felt this good since my second or third year. I think everything that I did this summer is just adding up. I feel fast, I feel strong, I don’t get tired. And I don’t want to lose that so I’ve got to be patient and I can’t get ahead of myself.”
Next up, the the Trail Blazers will the Houston Rockets Friday night at Moda Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ROOT SPORTS PLUS and Rip City Radio 620 AM.