After a 113-103 loss to the Sixers, Trailblazers All-Star guard Damian Lillard expressed that his recent struggles are an opportunity to show his “true character.”
Against the Sixers, Lillard finished with 20 points and 10 assists, shooting 7-for-20 from the field and 2-for-9 from behind the arc.
“I always look at struggles as an opportunity to show my true character,” Lillard says, per ESPN. “When things go great there’s a lot of praise that goes along with that. A lot of people give you a lot of credit. They speak highly of you on social media, TV. ‘Oh Dame had 60, Dame had 50.’ They speak really highly of you. But I think it says more when you’re going through something and s— is kind of hitting the fan and you’re struggling and everybody’s got something to say and to me the real ones, they can keep on trucking and keep on going and still find a way to get the job done.”
According to ESPN, Lillard hit the floor against Philly with low averages in points (18.6), field goal percentages (34.9%), and 3-point shooting (23.1%). However, the guard is embracing the low-point that he is currently in and sees this as a challenge to beat the odds and prove the naysayers wrong:
“And, me personally, I love when those opportunities present themselves,” Lillard says, per ESPN. Because when I am riding high and when I do get smoking hot and when I get going people are going to look at it and be like, ‘We remember when you were struggling and you didn’t shy away from it.’ I think it will be more respect for the success when they see how you handle failure and how you handle struggle.”
“So, personally, I embrace that. It’s not fun. It’s not easy but it’s part of my DNA. That’s how I got to this position. I’m not angry about it. I’m frustrated with it. I do see it as a challenge and it’s one I accept and I know I’ll come out on top like I always do.”
