Oakland’s Lillard unhappy with Warriors’ move
NBA standings
Chase Center may be the new gold-standard for NBA arenas, but Blazers guard Damian Lillard is no fan of the Warriors’ new home.
His biggest complaint? It’s not Oakland, where Lillard grew up and where his heart remains.
Lillard, whose Blazers make their first appearance in the Warriors’ new digs Monday night, takes Golden State’s move to San Francisco personally.
“There’s a sense of pride in Oakland about everything that represents us and it’s like the Warriors go over the bridge,” Lillard told reporters before Monday’s game. “Raiders going to Vegas, it’s almost like the money grab, the money moves is pushing the real love and what’s really behind this organization to the side, which is understandable and also not understandable because I’m from Oakland.”
Lillard wears his city pride on his jersey as he likes to tell people he’s the only NBA player who doesn’t have a uniform number — he wears an “O” for Oakland.
Lillard, whose “O” also pays tribute to his college town of Ogden, Utah and his NBA home state of Oregon, is from East Oakland’s Brookfield Village. His old home was less than a fiveminute drive to the Warriors’ old home at Oracle Arena. So naturally he was never going to accept the Warriors’ choice of a new home.
“I don’t like it,” Lillard said. “If that’s what y’all want to know. I don’t like it.”
Portland’s All-Star point guard, who has saved his best for games against the Warriors. He’s scored more against the Warriors than any other NBA team as he owns a 27.0 scoring average in 24 career meetings. In addition, five of his 21 games scoring more than 40 points have come against his hometown team.
Part of the joy Lillard’s had playing the Warriors has been the intense atmosphere at Oracle. Injuries to All-Stars Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry and the subsequent losses haven’t helped. But judging by the Warriors games he’s watched so far at Chase Center, Lillard said he’s disappointed in what he’s seen.
“Where’s the pride?” asked Lillard. “It just rubbed me wrong. I’ve watched games here and the crowd is just not the same. People leaving games early.”
The irony, of course, is that Lillard’s mission Monday night will be to send fans home early again. CAVS’ ROOKIE SUSPENDED 1 GAME >> Cavaliers rookie guard Kevin Porter Jr. has been suspended by the NBA for one game without pay for bumping an official.
At the end of the third quarter of Cleveland’s 131111 loss to Dallas on Sunday night, Porter brushed into referee Bill Spooner’s shoulder as he ran back down the floor after missing a shot. The contact knocked Spooner off balance, and he immediately looked at Porter, who didn’t turn around.