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NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND TWO: TRAIL BLAZERS vs WARRIORS

May 11, 2016

Oakland, California: Game Five

Warriors - 125, Trail Blazers - 121

Q. For both of you guys, I know it's fresh and just ended. But I wondered what you think this season and this playoff run will do for this organization moving forward and for you guys?
C.J. McCOLLUM: I think coming into the season, the expectations were really low for us. Collectively as a team we met a lot of goals, and when we made the playoffs and compete in the playoffs, we felt like it was going to be a learning process. It's a tough loss in the playoffs, but all in all we competed and as we move forward we showed that we're a good team and we also showed that (No Microphone).

Q. (No Microphone)?
DAMIAN LILLARD: Yeah, like he said, I think we came into the season saying it's a process and we had growing pains, but I think our team did a great job just keeping our heads down and continuing to work and standing together through the tough times early in the season and just continuing to grow.

We find ourselves in position to make the playoffs and we do what we've got to do to get in the playoffs, win the series, get into the second round and have the opportunity to play against the best team in the league this season.

So I think the experience that we got was great. Regardless of what other people expected, I think what we were able to do was reassure ourselves that the foundation that we built this year is the right thing. We did it the right way and that's what allowed us to be in this position. So we've got to continue to work and continue to grow that same thing and do the same things that we have been doing all season long and try to continue going forward.

Q. Is it too early to appreciate the way you guys played against the Warriors in this series?
C.J. McCOLLUM: I think we competed. I think the games were very tight and it came down to the last couple possessions but it was big shots. Starting with Game 2, I think we really began to pick it up and began to figure out how to get stops (No Microphone) we competed hard, but it really wasn't (No Microphone).

DAMIAN LILLARD: Yeah, I thought like he said, we lost 4-1, but we had control of Game 2 for three-and-a-half quarters. They executed better than us down the stretch and got that win. We win Game 3. Game 4 we had a three-point lead under a minute. All we need is a stop and a score. They score, get a stop and then they score. So tonight we were in position to win the game again.

So I think we should be proud of the way that we pushed them because they could have easily been a 7-game series. If the ball goes this way instead of that way in a couple of these games.

But you've also got to take your hat off to them and give them credit. They did what championship teams do. When it was time to win games, they did things a little bit better than we did in situations where it made a difference in win or loss, and those are the things that we've got to grow from. We've got to remember these teams and remember executing down the stretch and how important one rebound can end up being.

The growth part is the biggest thing for us, and I think we can not only grow a lot from this entire season, but really from this series.

Q. For both of you, do you guys at all feel like this playoff run has been somewhat of a microcosm of your regular season and that people kind of didn't expect you guys to do a whole lot, and you did a lot even if it wasn't exactly what you wanted? And two, is there anything about Paul Allen's speech he gave postgame that you want to share?
C.J. McCOLLUM: No, I'm not going to share that. In terms of the microcosm from the season, low expectations, coming in and making the playoffs, competing, being down 0-2, having control of Game 3, and then CP goes down and Blake goes down and we end up becoming favorites all of a sudden. Get out of that series and as we're getting out of the Clippers series and as we're getting ready to get out of all the Clippers series, they're already talking about the Warriors in The Finals. I think ESPN even made a mistake of already advancing them to the Western Conference championship before our series was even over with the Clippers.

But we competed. We went out there and put our best foot forward, and obviously we've got a ways to go before we're a finished product. We can all get better individually and collectively as a unit and I think we will. There are no excuses. We competed, but we're not satisfied losing 4-1, even if the games were close. I don't think we went into this playoffs like let's get the gentleman's sweep as a goal. That's not how we approached it.

Q. Can anyone beat the Warriors this season, guys? It feels like you guys played so well and can anyone beat them in the fourth?
DAMIAN LILLARD: I mean, it's the NBA, so anybody can be beat. I think we pushed them to the limit. I mean, like I said, these past four games could have gone our way. You know what I mean? We were right there. I'm pretty sure that somebody can get it done. But it won't be easy.

I think that's what they showed in this series, and even in the series against the Rockets is that they're a team that finds a way. They know what works for them. They defend well. They play great team defense. They pass the ball really well. They screen well. You know, they're a really good group. They play great team basketball on both ends of the floor. They had really good players doing it. So that's tough to play against, and it's really, really tough to beat. But there are still some really good teams competing in the playoffs, I think.

OKC has pushed them to the limit in the regular season, I think they can, so the Spurs as well. So you've got a lot of good teams and it's going to take a lot to get it done, but of course it's possible.

Q. This is for either one of you. You guys had a really successful season compared to expectations. What do you think that says in what you guys did this year says to the free agents and all the people that are around the league in terms of potentially coming to Portland?
DAMIAN LILLARD: I mean, I think it says that it's something, we've built something that would be fun to be a part of. There is not a selfish guy in our group. We got here working hard and being together. Since I've been in the league, I haven't been around a team that I've spent this much time around and had this much fun with from top to bottom. Even our rookies, we've got relationships with those guys like we've been knowing them. I don't think that's common around the league.

There's no jealousy. Guys have friendships and we enjoy being around each other, not trying to one up each other. I think our culture that we've established this season is something that guys would want to be a part of.

Q. Damian, I saw you and Steph hugging and talking to each other after the game. What do you guys say to each other?
DAMIAN LILLARD: He just said that we played well, we played hard, and I told him that he deserved to be the MVP. It was well-deserved and there's been a lot of talk about if you played in this time and all this stuff, and I told him that it didn't matter. As a player that plays against him, you respect him and let him know that he deserved to be the MVP again, and that was pretty much it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND TWO: TRAIL BLAZERS vs WARRIORS

May 11, 2016

Damian Lillard

C.J. McCollum