On May 4, Grizzlies fans who had been bored stiff finally poured into FedExForum to watch Memphis compete in the second round of the playoffs.
Over on the Warriors' side, their second-round series against the Rockets had begun a day earlier. The Grizzlies, who had advanced early, had waited until today to finally learn who their second-round opponent would be.
In most predictions, the Grizzlies' second-round opponent was supposed to be the Los Angeles Clippers, just like last year.
But the resilient Trail Blazers dashed everyone's expectations. Though battered and bruised, they had ultimately stepped into FedExForum, into the palace of the kings, ready to seize the throne.
The Trail Blazers and the Grizzlies—one had just pulled off the miracle of overturning a 1-3 deficit, while the other had firmly held onto the league's best record.
Before these two remarkable teams had even officially collided, plenty of sparks had already flown.
Before the game, ESPN deliberately aired a highlight reel of Lillard's brilliant performances from the previous round.
ESPN wanted to make one point: "This is an elite point guard who isn't afraid of Paul in the playoffs!"
Lillard had indeed risen to fame this season, to the point that he had made the Trail Blazers feel like his own team.
Before this season, everyone had believed LaMarcus Aldridge was the key to the Trail Blazers' resurgence. But now, nearly everyone believed Aldridge was Lillard's sidekick.
Lillard had always been someone who went against the current. This year, he had not officially made the All-Star Game; his eventual selection had only come as an injury replacement, filling a vacancy.
His popularity in the West was not particularly high either. When people mentioned Western Conference guards, they thought of Harden, Westbrook, Curry, and the like.
Lillard? More often than not, he