PORTLAND, Ore. -- Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum were enjoying bowls of clam chowder when things got intense. The topic had turned to how I didn't anticipate the Portland Trail Blazers being the third seed in the Western Conference this late in the season.

Upon hearing that, McCollum stopped mid-scoop and said, "What did you anticipate? While we're at it."

"Now that's a good question," Lillard said.

Yes, these two prideful individuals know how to attack on the court and at the dinner table.

I recently sat down with the dynamic guards, who were later joined by assistant coach David Vanterpool, at El Gaucho restaurant in downtown Portland to discuss a bevy of topics, including how their friendship started, why Lillard doesn't like being compared to Stephen Curry, how McCollum dealt with recent trade rumors, where they fit among the best backcourt duos in the game, and their growing rivalry with the Houston Rockets.

Here are excerpts, which have been edited for length, from the interview:

On the Blazers' exceeding expectations ...

Chris Haynes: No way did I ever expect you guys would be at this point right now. You hear about Golden State. You hear about Houston. You're hearing about Cleveland, Boston, Toronto. Hardly ever any mention of Portland. Does that motivate, frustrate?

Damian Lillard: I mean, I wouldn't say it motivates or frustrates us. I mean, that's just what it is. It ain't nothing that's new about that. And I think with those teams it was what they're doing was expected. So what we have accomplished so far, they're gonna look at it like it's a fluke. It seems like they would rather address it later like, "All right. We'll see about it."

CH: What is it going to take to convince them that this team is legit?

C.J. McCollum: I think the proof is in the pudding. You know, this is my fifth year in the league. And this is gonna be our fifth year making the playoffs. So that's one. Two is to continue to build on how we played the last five years. So getting more wins, getting 50 wins consistently, getting out of the first round, getting out of the second round.

I think once you consistently do those things, then your perception changes a lot. ... And you can argue all the things in the world. But you can't argue these wins and losses.

DL: What he said. [Laughs]

The Blazers are currently on pace to finish third in the West with 50 wins. AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer

CH: You look at the roster from top to bottom, and there's a lotta names that probably the average fan wouldn't know about. How were you able to get to this point right now?

DL: Over the last three years we've developed a great level of chemistry. Guys have done a great job getting better each summer. You know, I think our assistants do a great job with our player development. So it's not like just going through meaningless workouts. You know, it's coming off flares and pindowns. There's a lotta stuff incorporated in workouts that is a part of our offense and a part of the way we play. So people can come in and impact a game, and get comfortable through their workouts. A lot of film.

And we got a lotta faith in each other. I think we show trust in each other. And we lean on each other. And, you know, in the past we hadn't done that as much as we have been lately.

And also, our commitment to the defensive end. I think we're a much better defensive team. So, it's allowed us to win a lot more games so far.

"I think we as good as any backcourt."

CH: How have you guys been able to sustain such a high level of defense?

CM: I think it's just understanding the schemes a little bit better. The coaches do a great job of preparing us each day. You know, working on the scouting reports, figuring out how to help. And, this is my third year of playing as a starter full-time minutes. So I think you better understand how to shortcut certain plays. You understand personnel a little bit better. And the more you play, the more you learn on the fly.

And I think it was an effort thing. It was a summer thing of working. Working on angles. Working on how to guard post-ups. And I think we've all gotten better collectively as a unit and more comfortable together.

And I always say the best defense is offense. You can attack somebody and wear 'em down, you know, offensively, then when you get on the defensive end, they're gonna be a little bit more tired.

On dealing with trade rumors ...

CH: So before you guys went on this run, there were talks about what moves the Trail Blazers needed to make to improve this roster. And what always came up was they gotta split you guys. C.J., your name came up a lot. How did you handle that?

CM: I just take it in stride, understand that that's how the business works. When things aren't going well, someone has to get blamed. And you're not gonna blame people starting from the bottom. You're gonna start at the top, and weed through it, and pick things apart, and try to figure out. "Why isn't this working? Why isn't that working?" And then when you analyze potential trades, who you gonna trade for? Who you gonna trade?

You're gonna trade valuable assets, or valuable assets are gonna be mentioned in possible trades because that's the way the world works nowadays. And I think as an NBA player you have to understand this business. And the organization has to do what's best for them. And you have to do what's best for yourself as a player. And your job as a player is to show up every day, be ready to play. Regardless of the noise that's going on around you, you need to be able to perform.

CH: Did you ever think there could have been anything concrete?

CM: I didn't get any calls from my agent. And I talked to Neil [Olshey] before the trade deadline. I told him, "Get home and get some rest." And he joked with me, said he was on the phone trying to figure out where he was gonna move me next. [Laughs] And when he said that joke, I was like, "All right. I'm safe right now."

Because he wouldn't be joking about this if he was serious. But nah, in all seriousness, I feel like what's meant to be will be, man. I try not to worry about nothing I can't control. I can't control rumors. I can't control who would be interested in me. I think you should look at it as a blessing that other people would think you're valuable enough to be mentioned in a trade. It could be worse. No one could want you.

CH: That's true.

CM: And if no one wants you, that's a problem.

On their friendship ...

Small-school prospects McCollum and Lillard became pen pals while McCollum was still at Lehigh and Lillard represented the Blazers at the draft lottery. Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images

CH: What started the process of you guys meshing?

DL: I think the best part about it is it was organic. We come from similar situations as far as going to a small school, having to carry the load for our college teams, being high draft picks. And, you know, we had the same injury in college.

And that was actually when we first got in touch with each other. Because I broke my foot in college. And he did the same thing. And then we got in contact 'cause I was kinda sharing how I dealt with it and what I did to kinda bounce back following that injury. And from that point on, we just kept in contact. And eventually we became teammates. And it made it easier because we didn't have to, you know, try to force anything.

And from Day 1 we sat next to each other on the plane. We were working out together and stuff like that. So I think that just made it a lot easier once it came to the point where, you know, we were the ones leading the team.

CH: What was it like for you, C.J., going through that process? 'Cause when you first came in the league, it didn't look like there was going to be a door open for you to be in the position you are now.

CM: Right. No, it's a humbling experience just going through injuries. You know, your dreams, aspirations are all on the line. And you don't know your future. ...

And then we win 54 games. Like, we go from lottery team to top four in the West. So as a young player, it's hard to kinda find your way when mistakes are amplified. You're on a bad team, you can make mistakes and nothing happens. You're on a good team in the Western Conference, every game is that much more important. And your coach has less tolerance for error. So I come in, I don't remember a play, or I mess up a defensive assignment. ...

TOP SCORING DUOS, 2017-18 PPG James Harden/Chris Paul 49.7 Damian Lillard/CJ McCollum 48.4 Stephen Curry/Klay Thompson 46.0 Bradley Beal/John Wall 42.7 DeMar DeRozan/Kyle Lowry 40.1

DL: Coming out.

CM: Yeah, I'm coming out. [Laughs] ... So having to go through that and then the DNPs. And then the next year I fractured my index finger in my shooting hand. Then we traded for Arron Afflalo.

It was just like everything kept happening over and over again. I was like, "Eventually I'm gonna get a chance. And when I do, I'm just not gonna look back."

CH: A lot of players, they say that. But some players, that chance never comes. Did that ever ...

CM: It did. Dame used to see me in there looking angry every day. Looking real angry. 'Cause I don't really hold stuff in well. So just looking mad. Like, "Dang, I don't know if I'm ever gonna play or if this is the right situation for me." Because, you know, you're happy with the team's success. But as a competitor, individually you just feel like, you know, "When am I gonna get a chance to help our team?" ...

And as the season progressed, I just watched Dame. I worked out against him, worked out with him, and just tried to compete every day and figured, as my mom would say, you don't blow an opportunity by not playing. You blow an opportunity by not being ready to play when you get a chance. So I had a lot of unknown work in front of me that I knew I put the work in but no one had seen it.

CH: Dame, most players, you know, they see somebody possibly can take minutes away from them, they wouldn't be as encouraging or forthcoming with help and advice. Why did you feel like you needed to do that in that situation?

DL: For me, I'm 100 percent confident in what I can do. And I know that in this league if you really wanna win, you're gonna need other good players. You're gonna need people that can dominate a game just like you can dominate a game. But I knew that it didn't take away who I am or what I bring to a team. And, you know, what my impact coulda been on C.J., you know, as a friend and as a teammate, I knew that could make our team better.

I wasn't looking at it like, "Oh, C.J.'s nice, too," and, "What if this happened?" and, "What if that happened?" I mean, it's gonna be what it's gonna be. But I ain't no hater. And, you know, I don't get jealous of other people's success. You know, I get happy for 'em.

McCollum didn't get much playing time early in his career due to injuries and a deep Portland roster. Noah Graham /NBAE/Getty Images

CH: What are the differences in you guys' games?

CM: I think just having watched him for so many years, I even watched him when he was at Weber. My brother used to call me like, "Yo, this dude from Weber State is dope."

CH: Is that right?

CM: So I used to watch his games. And ...

CH: How you watch a Weber game?

CM: My brother had all the illegal websites. I mean, he played overseas.

DL: No, I followed his stuff. Like we was going back and forth leading the country in scoring. So, like, I was following his stuff, too.

CH: That's crazy.

CM: So I've been watching him for a long time. So I've seen how his game has kinda transformed. Seeing his pick-and-roll play, his ability to finish through contact. Obviously he's got floaters, quick lays. He's got a lotta different finishes in the lane. And then I think he's a very good passer. Underrated passer. His ability to hit the weak side -- something I've been trying to work on for three years now. I'm getting better at it slowly, but I'm inconsistent at hitting the roll/replace guy.

CH: How have you guys been able to complement one another on the court? Because from outside looking in, it seems like, "Man, there's two point guards in the backcourt."

DL: I think it's not that hard because we can do a lot of the same things. He can create a shot off the bounce. He can make a play. He can shoot off pin-downs. So if he can play off the ball and I can play off the ball, it's like if I got it going, then he know that if I come off, and people come to me, and he open, he know I'm gonna pass him the ball. And vice versa.

But the fact that we're interchangeable, I think that makes it easy to work with. You know, if it was like he can score the ball but he couldn't shoot the way he could, then it would be a little bit harder.

On Dame being compared to Steph Curry ...

When it comes to long-range shooting, Lillard is in Curry's class. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

CH: So Dame, where do you rank yourself among the point guards? You spoke to our Rachel Nichols during All-Star Weekend. You said you're right up there.

DL: I'm as good as any of 'em. That's what I said.

CH: Yeah, and I remember when you said that there was this big debate for, like, the next two days. Like, "Is he? Is he not?"

DL: What am I supposed to say? "They better than me?"

CH: But you do get tired of a certain narrative. You're doing things that you were doing even in your first three years. Shooting these deep 3s. And have you heard what people are saying that you're doing? Like ...

DL: What?

CH: "Oh, he's shooting 3s like ..."

DL: What? Steph Curry?

CH: Yeah.

DL: I mean, I haven't heard nobody saying it lately, but this is not new. We winning games. So now people paying attention or whatever they're gonna do.

CH: Does it bother you?

DL: No. I mean, I would prefer people to say, "He's doing what Damian Lillard does," 'cause that would tell me that they pay attention. I've been doing it since I came in the league. And the fact that they gotta use another man, somebody that I compete against, to describe what I'm doing, it's like, "Man, just say I'm doing what I've been doing since Day 1."

But, I mean, I don't get my feelings hurt about it. I think everybody know that I take it upon myself to handle it on the court. I'm always gonna do that. And I think that's the best way to go about it.

On their rivalry with the Rockets ...