Often times it can be hard to dissect something of value from a blowout victory against an inferior opponent. But on Wednesday, during Portland’s 124-112 win over Chicago, there was a subtle moment that all Trail Blazers fans should note.



In the first quarter, Blazers star Damian Lillard made a defensive stand against Chicago guard Zach LaVine, which was followed by a not-so-subtle message.



“I said, ‘Don’t try that shit with me. That’s dead. That’s not happening,” Lillard recounted telling LaVine.



Ever since Lillard became a rookie scoring sensation in Portland in 2012, the knock on him has been his defense. Tired of hearing the criticism and cognizant of how much it was hurting the team, Lillard in the summer of 2017 vowed to get better defensively. And he did, which was one of the major elements in the Blazers’ winning 49 games last season.



Then in the summer of 2018, he said he again worked on his...