http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/teams/portland_trail_blazers/84 Recent articles about Portland Trail Blazers en-us Photo Credit: detnews.com/AP Victor Oladipo, when he is not doing his best Usher impression or getting insane Michael Jordan comparisons, showed drastic improvement this year at Indiana, and led them to be one of the juggernaut of the past NCAA season. Oladipo, a quality defensive-minded guard, who also has shown some promise on the other end of the floor, combined with what many have said to be a weak draft, has made him a presumed top-5 pick in this year’s draft. The Portland Trailblazers, who will have their official draft positions after tonight’s lottery drawing, will probably not be in the range to draft Oladipo unless they get extremely lucky in the drawing.  However, reports say that you should not count Portland out of the Oladipo sweepstakes, as they are highly considering trading up to grab the former Hoosier if necessary, according to probasketballtalk.com.  Chris Haynes of CSN Northwest had the original report, and provides us with more details: Sources close to the prospect say the Trail Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:16 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/report_blazers_want_victor_oladipo_will_consider_trading_up_in_draft/13664071 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/report_blazers_want_victor_oladipo_will_consider_trading_up_in_draft/13664071 Report: Blazers want Victor Oladipo; will consider trading up in draft http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/report_blazers_want_victor_oladipo_will_consider_trading_up_in_draft/13664071 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png via KGW Being an NBA star, you’ve got your own Posse, whether you like it or not. Well meaning friends, bodyguards or partymates, they can get into trouble, dragging the celebrities’ name with them. Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard get his turn. per KGW:     Two brothers accuse NBA Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard of standing by while his entourage beat the brothers up early Saturday morning in Portland’s Old Town district. The incident happened at about 2:30 a.m. on May 18.     Jermaine Ulinwa told KGW the beating happened as a result of a picture that he snapped with his cell phone after he spotted the basketball star walking toward a parking lot with several other people.     “So I took a picture. And so Damian Lillard was upset that I took his picture, so when he turned around he’s like, “Did you just take my picture?” said Ulinwa.     “And his entourage just turned around too and they’re like, ‘did you just take a picture of Damian Lillard?’ … and I said ‘Yeah, I did Tue, 21 May 2013 08:46:59 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/damian_lillards_posse_allegedly_beat_up_brothers/13661530 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/damian_lillards_posse_allegedly_beat_up_brothers/13661530 Damian Lillard’s Posse allegedly beat up brothers http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/damian_lillards_posse_allegedly_beat_up_brothers/13661530 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/f/8fe3a776633d47b00964668c581d57bc8b50260d/mini/6684284.jpg June 4th, 2000, an ill-fated day in Portland Trail Blazers history and the last day you as a fan watched them play a playoff game beyond the first round. That’s right, it’s been nearly 13 years since the Blazers were outscored 31-13 in the fourth quarter, shot just 22% from the field, and squandered a 15-point lead in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals to a Los Angeles Lakers team on the verge of 3 consecutive titles.  Since then, they’re 7-22 in the postseason, tallying 6 first-round exits amidst 7 playoff-less years … and I’ve had it. Many of you are quick to point out the freakish injuries responsible for this subpar stint, with your finger aimed squarely at the ghost of Greg Oden and sheepishly towards the cartilage – or lack thereof – in the knees of one Brandon Roy. But the time for self-pity is no more, and it’s time to start holding this franchise accountable for the mediocrity it’s been providing us with for the better part of this century. We – and I use... Tue, 21 May 2013 08:42:15 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/its_time_the_portland_trail_blazers_get_this_right/13661467 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/its_time_the_portland_trail_blazers_get_this_right/13661467 It’s Time The Portland Trail Blazers Get This Right http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/its_time_the_portland_trail_blazers_get_this_right/13661467 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Two brothers allege that people standing near Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard assaulted them after one of the victims took a photo of the NBA Rookie of the Year. The brothers tell Portland television station KGW that the suspects were Lillard's ''entourage,'' but police say they haven't determined whether they are associated with the player. Portland police Sgt. Pete Simpson says Lillard spoke with officers and ''is not a suspect'' in the assault. Simpson says the brothers had facial injuries and were treated at the scene after the scuffle early Saturday morning in a downtown nightlife district. They were not taken to a hospital. The Blazers say they're aware of the incident and based on preliminary reports, none of their players is considered a suspect in the case. Mon, 20 May 2013 23:32:09 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/victims_pic_of_lillard_led_to_attack/13660150 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/victims_pic_of_lillard_led_to_attack/13660150 Victims: Pic of Lillard led to attack http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/victims_pic_of_lillard_led_to_attack/13660150 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/6/4693a2bbcc31f50344adc440b513714f4faefea4/mini/6754048.jpg Two brothers claim they were assaulted after taking a picture of Portland Trailblazers rookie Damian Lillard, The Oregonian reports. According to The Oregonian, Lillard, who won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award, was not involved in the alleged assault and is not a suspect. The two men allege they were assaulted by people who were with Lillard. The alleged assault reportedly occurred around 2:30 a.m. Saturday morning in Old Town, which is a section of Portland, Oregon. The alleged victims reportedly were treated at the scene by Portland Fire & Rescue for facial injuries. Even if Lillard himself wasn’t involved, having members of his entourage involved in an alleged assault reflects poorly on him. Lillard was the sixth overall pick by the Blazers and averaged 19 points and 6.5 assists per game in his rookie campaign. As The Oregonian points out, Lillard won an NBA community assist award in March for his “commitment to anti-bullying and his ongoing support of local, regional ... Mon, 20 May 2013 18:11:56 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/brothers_claim_they_were_assaulted_taking_picture_of_damian_lillard/13658428 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/brothers_claim_they_were_assaulted_taking_picture_of_damian_lillard/13658428 Brothers claim they were assaulted taking picture of Damian Lillard http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/brothers_claim_they_were_assaulted_taking_picture_of_damian_lillard/13658428 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Ohio State forward Deshaun Thomas told The Oregonian that free agent Greg Oden “looks unbelievable” and everything indicates the gimpy center will attempt a comeback for the 2013-14 campaign. Last undergoing the knife in February 2012, the 25-year-old Oden played a mere 82 games as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers over the course of five injury-plagued seasons. “Man, he looks unbelievable,” said Thomas, 21, a 2013 first-team All-Big Ten selection. “He’s running, he’s lifting weights. You might be seeing a comeback. He looks like he is ready to go. He’s running, getting in shape. I’ll tell you one … Continue reading → Sun, 19 May 2013 00:01:28 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/ohio_state_forward_deshaun_thomas_says_greg_oden_looks_unbelievable_training_for_an_nba_comeback/13647829 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/ohio_state_forward_deshaun_thomas_says_greg_oden_looks_unbelievable_training_for_an_nba_comeback/13647829 Ohio State forward Deshaun Thomas says Greg Oden ‘looks unbelievable’ training for an NBA comeback http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/ohio_state_forward_deshaun_thomas_says_greg_oden_looks_unbelievable_training_for_an_nba_comeback/13647829 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/f/a/fa281c2a627d547f2c5aad5bea272f425b3be6c0/mini/PicImg_NBA_MAR_31_ed95.jpg The Portland Trail Blazers “really like” Victor Oladipo and are considering moving up in the draft to get him, according to a source close to the prospect. Oladipo expressed interest in playing for the Blazers. “I would really love to go to Portland, and I'm not just saying that,” Oladipo said. “I hope, and I don't think I'm dropping that far, but if they decided to move up somehow, I think that would be a great situation for me. It's a place where you can just concentrate on basketball.” Oladipo is projected to go in the top five of the upcoming draft. Sat, 18 May 2013 10:40:52 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/source_blazers_considering_trading_up_to_select_oladipo/13644877 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/source_blazers_considering_trading_up_to_select_oladipo/13644877 Source: Blazers Considering Trading Up To Select Oladipo http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/source_blazers_considering_trading_up_to_select_oladipo/13644877 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Mock drafts galore The 2013 NBA offseason is going to be a big one for the Portland Trail Blazers. With money to spend, free agency will be a hot topic around PDX, but with the draft lottery up first, the focus is on rookie prospects and which player will best fit come June. In today’s day and age of social media and the ever-expanding blogosphere, everybody and their mother has a mock draft. It’s tough to keep track of who is projecting what, which is why we’ve got you covered. *Mock Drafts are accurate as of May 17, 2013. Alex Len, C Alex Len will go to Portland, according to SI.com (Photo: US Presswire) SI.Com: Chris Mannix NBA Draft Guru Hoopsworld NBA Prospects It’s no secret that the Blazers need a center, and the national media has jumped on that fact when it comes to mock drafts. Len is a 7’1” big man out of Mayrland. Truthfully, he’s going to be a tough player for the Blazers to land, as he’s projected by many outlets to be drafted somewhere between the top 5 and the top 10—a plac Sat, 18 May 2013 02:37:49 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/the_national_media_predicts_the_portland_trail_blazers_draft/13643698 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/the_national_media_predicts_the_portland_trail_blazers_draft/13643698 The national media predicts the Portland Trail Blazers draft… http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/the_national_media_predicts_the_portland_trail_blazers_draft/13643698 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png PDX feels for Seattle…and Sacramento In case you’ve been under a rock, in a cave or otherwise absent of news this week, you’ve probably heard that the city of Seattle will not be getting an NBA team in 2014. This is awful news for the people of Seattle, but as members of the Great Northwest, Portlanders can commiserate. If you’re a Portlander, you’ve been stuck in the middle—geographically speaking—of this ongoing saga. Sacramento and Seattle have been duking it out, and while you may not have a dog in the fight, you have to put yourself in each city’s shoes. Sympathy for Seattle When the Seattle Supersonics were ripped away from their original town, it was easy for fans in Portland to watch with sadness. Obviously, the sorrow never turned to anger as it did in the state of Washington, but nobody wants to lose a team that has meant so much to a city and its people. Watching a player like Kevin Durant slip away is always hard—then again, Portland’s actually experienced that as well. Portlan Fri, 17 May 2013 13:30:57 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/a_portlanders_take_on_the_seattle_supersonics_vs_nba/13643707 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/a_portlanders_take_on_the_seattle_supersonics_vs_nba/13643707 A Portlander’s take on the Seattle Supersonics vs. NBA http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/a_portlanders_take_on_the_seattle_supersonics_vs_nba/13643707 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Photo Credit: USAToday.com/AP The story of Greg Oden may turn out to be one of the most disappointing in NBA history if he cannot successfully make a comeback. Oden, who was selected first overall by the Portland Trailblazers, has seen his career derailed by injuries, and is only known for stupid decisions otherwise. What definitely has not helped his case is the success of the guy taken after him, some dude named Kevin Durant, who is, well, pretty good. However, there appears to be some promising signs for Oden, as a draft prospect, Deshaun Thomas, who also attended Ohio State, has said Oden ‘looks unbelievable’ in their workouts together. Here are some more details via Yahoo! Sports and the News-Herald: Former Ohio State top scorer Deshaun Thomas, a potential second round pick despite his refusal to give up his cell phone number like some gallivantin’ hussy, has been working out in Indy with Greg Oden. And according to Bob Finnan at the News-Herald, Oden’s workouts have been something else; acc Fri, 17 May 2013 11:54:43 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/draft_prospect_greg_oden_looks_unbelievable_in_workouts/13638518 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/draft_prospect_greg_oden_looks_unbelievable_in_workouts/13638518 Prospect: Oden 'looks unbelievable' http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/draft_prospect_greg_oden_looks_unbelievable_in_workouts/13638518 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/f/df0777bc5964be4c0464a664c194c197ac45fc84/mini/oden.jpg The Portland Trail Blazers didn't have a bad season, but it wasn't that great either. Tips Portland should follow if they want to make 2014 Playoffs www.nwsportsbeat.com NWSB Insider and Portland Trail Blazers' blogger Jason Hartzog gives five tips to the Portland Trail Blazers that, if followed, will lead them to the 2014 NBA Playoffs. Aside from building off of the success of Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland needs to find a more defensive minded cent... More... Thu, 16 May 2013 14:16:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/the_portland_trail_blazers_didn_039t_have_a_bad_season_but_it_wasn_039t_that_great_ei/13640920 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/the_portland_trail_blazers_didn_039t_have_a_bad_season_but_it_wasn_039t_that_great_ei/13640920 The Portland Trail Blazers didn't have a bad season, but it wasn't that great ei... http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/the_portland_trail_blazers_didn_039t_have_a_bad_season_but_it_wasn_039t_that_great_ei/13640920 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/e/0/e0280055f236c31ae334240eebd0403b015a01aa/mini/6781792.jpg The Road Map The Portland Trail Blazers didn’t have a bad season, but it wasn’t that great either. Here are my exclusive top-5 tips for the Portland Trail Blazers making the 2014 NBA Playoffs, enjoy. Have Nikola Pekovic sign an offer sheet worth top dollar to force the Minnesota Timberwolves to pay him. Like they did with Nicolas Batum last off-season? Yes. Just like that.  Steal Dwight Howard from the Los Angeles Lakers. Shave James Harden‘s beard. Steal Stephen Curry‘s sweet stroke and give it to Wesley Matthews, Space Jam style. Convince Russell Westbrook to pull a Derrick Rose and sit out all season, no matter how bad they need him. Honorable Mentions: Convince Memphis to trade you Marc Gasol for Meyers Leonard, a future drat pick, and an outstanding new barbecue recipe. Create an outstanding new barbecue recipe. Ok, I’ll admit, those aren’t real. While those things won’t happen and really wouldn’t have too much of an effect on the Blazers, it would be nice if they actually occurr Thu, 16 May 2013 12:32:38 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/tips_portland_should_follow_if_they_want_to_make_2014_playoffs/13631207 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/tips_portland_should_follow_if_they_want_to_make_2014_playoffs/13631207 Tips Portland should follow if they want to make 2014 Playoffs http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/tips_portland_should_follow_if_they_want_to_make_2014_playoffs/13631207 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png It looks like Jimmy Kimmel found out a way to take care of a mistaken identity problem that Jarron Collins and his twin brother Jason have been running into a lot lately. Jason, who publicly came out as a gay NBA player a few weeks ago, has been all over the news. But it is the split-image resemblance between the two men that has people mistaking the straight Jarron for his more famous bro. The late night television host had both of the 6' 11" NBA players on his show Wednesday and Kimmel took matters into his own hands by presenting Jarron with "I'm the straight one" T-shirt to distinguish the two apart.  During the lighthearted interview Jarron admitted he never had a clue that his brother was gay and believes when the first joke is made [in the locker room] and Jason laughs, "the ice will be broken." Afterwards someone posted a photo on Reddit showing one of them (yes it's Jarron) wearing his new ID tag. Thu, 16 May 2013 09:51:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/jimmy_kimmel_gives_jarron_collins_a_im_the_straight_one_t_shirt/13629908 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/jimmy_kimmel_gives_jarron_collins_a_im_the_straight_one_t_shirt/13629908 Jimmy Kimmel gives Jarron Collins a 'I'm the straight one' T-shirt http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/jimmy_kimmel_gives_jarron_collins_a_im_the_straight_one_t_shirt/13629908 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png I have seen questions lately from fans asking if the Portland Trail Blazers should trade all-star forward LaMarcus Aldridge. Well, I’m here to tell you that they shouldn’t. Aldridge is a current all-star that has spent his whole career here. This is a guy who wants to be here. He has built a name for himself … here! The Blazers have also found him a perfect sidekick. Not one that hinders his game, but one that boosts his game. Damian Lillard and LA complement each other’s game so well. With pick-and-rolls and working an inside-outside game, these two make for a great combination. Why throw that away? If anything, you trade the pieces around them and build around these two guys. Without Aldridge on the court, Lillard’s game slipped a little bit. He wasn’t able to score more with more opportunities; he actually scored less in the eight games without Aldridge (17.6 without compared to his 19.0 season PPG average). Defenses were able to apply more pressure on Lillard and n... Thu, 16 May 2013 08:59:09 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/why_portland_should_not_trade_lamarcus_aldridge/13629176 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/why_portland_should_not_trade_lamarcus_aldridge/13629176 Why Portland Should Not Trade LaMarcus Aldridge http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/why_portland_should_not_trade_lamarcus_aldridge/13629176 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/c/dc5e3779db164d0707792c4d0d32a27fef012459/mini/6915436.jpg Jason Collins gained nationwide notoriety when he recently announced that he is gay. Collins went from being a relatively unknown professional basketball player to being pretty identifiable in a matter of weeks. Naturally, Collins’ fame has created a lot of confusion for his twin brother, Jarron, who is straight. Late night television host Jimmy Kimmel decided to help solve that problem by giving Jarron a great T-shirt during the brothers’ interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Wednesday. Collins held up the shirt with a big smile and received laughs from Kimmel and his brother upon receiving the shirt at the end of the interview. He was even spotted wearing the shirt out in public. Jarron might have to continue wearing the shirt because he told Kimmel someone approached him at a urinal recently and asked if he was Jason. In the interview with Kimmel, Jarron talked about when his brother broke the news to him about being gay. He said that he and his wife had been trying to set up Jaso... Thu, 16 May 2013 03:55:27 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jarron_collins_announces_he_is_straight_with_great_t_shirt/13628480 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/jarron_collins_announces_he_is_straight_with_great_t_shirt/13628480 Jason Collins' twin given great shirt by Kimmel http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/jarron_collins_announces_he_is_straight_with_great_t_shirt/13628480 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/2/c26750656be3321b5b9a84f2322efd4b3c269b6d/mini/jarron-collins-shirt.jpg Former Portland Trailblazers coach Nate McMillan believes in Raymond Felton’s talent, but he thinks the point guard was just too overweight during his disappointing stint in Portland last season. Felton was traded from the New York Knicks to the Denver Nuggets in Feb. 2011 as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade. He was dealt to Portland in a 3-team trade after the season, and he had a poor season with the Blazers. Felton’s shooting percentage dropped to 40.7 percent, and his assistant to turnover ratio was 2.32, which was much lower than it was in Denver or New York. McMillan was fired by the Blazers last year as the team disappointed with a 20-23 start. He told ESPN New York that Felton is doing for the Knicks this year what Portland thought he could do for them. “What he’s doing now is what we felt he was always capable of doing for us,” McMillan said. “He just didn’t have that kind of year. When we brought him to Portland, what he’s doing — pushing the ball, attacking the basket... Wed, 15 May 2013 19:46:42 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/nate_mcmillan_raymond_felton_was_too_fat_with_blazers/13626338 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/nate_mcmillan_raymond_felton_was_too_fat_with_blazers/13626338 Nate McMillan: Raymond Felton was too fat with Blazers http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/nate_mcmillan_raymond_felton_was_too_fat_with_blazers/13626338 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/f/cf438b5d535ff8a9c33b959f446a17544c393c30/mini/6810058.jpg The Portland Trail Blazers tripped, crawled, and skidded their way to a 33-46 record to close out the 2012-13 campaign, losing twice as many games as they won since the all-star break. While wholesale changes may or may not be necessary, the Blazers' efforts and lack of success this season absolutely raised some eyebrows around the league, and assuredly in the Rose City, where fans are still tormented and teased by the memory of the 1977 team, a team anyone under the age of 36 was not around to see. For a franchise that holds the league record (since the merger) for most consecutive playoff appearances (21), we asked our staff at OregonSportsNews to look at the Blazers and assess what changes, if any, need to be made if the team is going to return to its days of glory and make a big splash next season. 1. The Blazers went just 8-18 after the all-star break. Injuries and all other things considered, how confident are you in their current roster? Do changes need to be made... Wed, 15 May 2013 08:41:22 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/oregon_sports_news_roundtable_portland_trail_blazers_offseason/13621145 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/oregon_sports_news_roundtable_portland_trail_blazers_offseason/13621145 Oregon Sports News Roundtable: Portland Trail Blazers Offseason http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/oregon_sports_news_roundtable_portland_trail_blazers_offseason/13621145 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png ROY + HOF = Good things for Rip City Damian Lillard is the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year. He’s a dynamic scorer, a solid floor general and a player who can impact the box score in a number of different categories. The one area where Damian Lillard has yet to establish himself for the Portland Trail Blazers is defense, and that’s where Gary Payton enters the picture.    According to The Oregonian’s Jason Quick, Lillard plans on working with the Sonics‘ Payton on his defensive game over the summer. The rookie point guard has heard the murmurs about his productivity on that side of the floor, and he’s ready to add a whole new dynamic to his already-impressive skill set. Gary Payton is arguably the best defensive point guard of all time. (Photo: Getty Images) Why Payton? It’s become a trend for NBA players to use their offseasons to train with former superstars. Most popularly, Hakeem Olajuwon has taken players such as LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Amar’e Stoudemire under his wing, and we’ve se Tue, 14 May 2013 13:33:12 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/gary_payton_to_help_damian_lillard_become_a_better_defender/13615571 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/gary_payton_to_help_damian_lillard_become_a_better_defender/13615571 Gary Payton to help Damian Lillard become a better defender http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/gary_payton_to_help_damian_lillard_become_a_better_defender/13615571 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/6/4693a2bbcc31f50344adc440b513714f4faefea4/mini/6754048.jpg The Dalai Lama made an appearance this weekend at Memorial Coliseum in Portland and left with a few parting gifts. Portland Trail Blazers general manager Neil Olshey and team president Chris McGowan presented the Dalai Lama with a personalized Trail Blazers jersey and fitted cap. I could definitely see a backcourt of Lillard and the Dalai Lama next year. [Blazers] Article found on: Next Impulse Sports Sat, 11 May 2013 22:01:13 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/the_dalai_lama_rocks_a_portland_trail_blazers_fitted_and_jersey/13598669 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/the_dalai_lama_rocks_a_portland_trail_blazers_fitted_and_jersey/13598669 The Dalai Lama Rocks a Portland Trail Blazers Fitted and Jersey http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/the_dalai_lama_rocks_a_portland_trail_blazers_fitted_and_jersey/13598669 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Damian Lillard will be getting help from Gary Payton this summer to improve his defense Over the years we’ve seen today’s NBA stars ask old legends like Hakeem Olajuwon for help with their basketball game. Usually to teach moves in the post. Unless you’re Andrew Bynum and you get annoyed with the legend’s help. Anyway, Rookie of the Year point guard, Damian Lillard, is asking a Hall of Fame player to help improve a different aspect of his game, Defense. Lillard is going to “The Glove” for help. One of the greatest perimeter defenders in basketball history, Gary Payton will work with the young Portland Trail Blazer guard this summer to improve his porous defense. Via Blazer Insider: “When people say stuff about my defense, it bothers me,’’ Lillard said. “And I’m aware of it. It drives me. It lights a fire under me.’’ If that attitude and drive doesn’t convince Trail Blazers fans that the franchise is in good hands, maybe this will: The wheels are already in motion for Lillard to wor Thu, 02 May 2013 20:25:40 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/damian_lillard_asks_hall_of_famer_to_teach_him_defense/13539401 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/damian_lillard_asks_hall_of_famer_to_teach_him_defense/13539401 Lillard asks legend for defensive help http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/damian_lillard_asks_hall_of_famer_to_teach_him_defense/13539401 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/b/d/bdc579beead19dad3963c45b86fc00e78d992600/mini/lillard.jpg