In 2014, Rip City certainly experienced more highs than lows. In recognition of the year coming to a close we put together our Top 10 Moments from the calendar year that was. From individual highlights, to career nights, to franchise altering moments, here are the best of the best from an incredible 2014.

10. Barton Goes Full Circle

February 21 vs. Utah

Will Barton is known for his highlight-reel plays. Through his first few NBA seasons he has garnered a reputation for instant offense, fastbreak dunks, acrobatic shots. Few have been better than this 360-degree dunk against the Utah Jazz on February 21 at Moda Center.

9. LA's Career Night

January 23 vs. Denver

LaMarcus Aldridge has cemented himself as one of the greatest players to ever don the scarlet and black. He's currently knocking on the door of all-time franchise records, while making a case to be called the best power forward in today's game. On January 23 at Moda Center, Aldridge poured in a regular season career-high 44 points (15-29 FG, 14-17 FT) to go along with 13 rebounds in Portland's come-from-behind win over division rival Denver on national television.

8. Triple-Double with Nine Fingers

January 8 vs. Orlando

Nicolas Batum has all of the tools to stuff the stat sheet on a regular basis. His length, court vision, craftiness and patience make him one of the most unique players in the NBA. On January 8 at Moda Center, all of those tools were on display as Nico racked up his fourth career triple-double, all with a broken finger!

7. Two All-Stars + Five Events

February 14-17 in New Orleans

2014 was a milestone year for a number of reasons, but arguably the he biggest recognition the Trail Blazers earned was having NBA head coaches vote TWO players into the NBA All-Star Game. The feat hadn't been accomplished in 20 years, since Clyde Drexler and Cliff Robinson represented Portland in the 1994 All-Star Game. In 2014, it was LaMarcus Aldridge earning his third consecutive all-star bid and Damian Lillard representing the Western Conference for the first time.

The marketing power of Damian Lillard has caught on like wildfire. He's featured in national television campaigns for some of the world's biggest brands. Lillard has versatile star power that blends into several categories off the court. That is also the case ON the court, and it has never been more evident than at the 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend when Dame became the first NBA player to ever compete in all five events (Rising Stars Challenge, Skills Competition, 3-Point Shootout, Dunk Contest and All-Star Game).

6. Highlight of the Year

February 23

If you're a Trail Blazers fan, you've seen this play. If you were at the game, you know the impact it had. It was a nip-and-tuck battle when Minnesota wing Corey Brewer had had a minor run-in with Damian Lillard that irritated the crowd. Several moments later, Brewer attempted a dunk that was emphatically rejected by Thomas Robinson and was likely the block of the year in the NBA. But the play wasn't over. Victor Claver quickly corralled the loose ball and moved it up the sideline to Wesley Matthews who found Will Barton for highlight-reel alley-oop that sent the crowd, and Robin Lopez, into a frenzy and propelled the Trail Blazers to victory.

5. Triple Overtime Thriller

December 19 in San Antonio

We've seen triple overtime games before. We've seen comebacks. But none have been combined in such wild comeback fashion as the 129-119 thriller in the home of the defending champions a few weeks ago. Not only did the Trail Blazers have to make a furious comeback to tie the game at the end of regulation, but TWICE they had to fight back from six points down in two separate overtime periods when it appeared they were dead in the water. The all-star duo of LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard were supported by clutch shooting from veterans Dorell Wright and Steve Blake to help carry Portland to a statement win.

4. First Half Explosion

November 13 in Denver

By now, the NBA knows that Terry Stotts-led teams are very capable of scoring at a fast pace. But did anyone see 84 points in the first half on the second night of a back-to-back coming? That's just what Portland did in the mile-high city, marking the most points scored in a half by an NBA team in more than three years. Five players scored in double-figures in the first half alone, en route to a dominant 130-113 divisional win.

3. Aldridge Sets Playoff Tone

April 20, April 23 in Houston

The Trail Blazers hadn't tasted the NBA Playoffs in three years, so analysts and experts didn't think the team would make too much noise entering a Round 1 matchup with the heavily favored Houston Rockets. To compound things, the Blazers had to start the series on the road, in a hostile Toyota Center in Houston. All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, one of the few players on Portland's roster with legitimate playoff experience, didn't waste any time letting the world know the Trail Blazers were for real. In his home state of Texas, Aldridge put the team on his back in Game 1, scoring a franchise playoff record 46 points (17-31 FG) to go along with 18 rebounds. The incredible performance also made LA the first NBA player to record 30-plus points, 15-plus rebounds and 2-plus blocked shots in a playoff game since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1987.

And just to prove that 46 points wasn't a fluke, Aldridge went out three nights later and netted 43 points (18-28 FG) to go along with eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Portland took Game 2 as well, heading back home with a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series. LA joined Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady in an exclusive club of NBA players to score 89-plus points in the first two games of a playoff series.

2. The Shot

May 2 in Portland

Portland hadn't been out of the first round of the NBA playoffs in 14 years. At the time, it was the longest any NBA team had gone without winning a series. Through five games, 47 minutes and 59.1 seconds, it had been the closest series of the 2014 NBA Playoffs. After a Chandler Parsons put-back, Portland trailed 98-96 with 0.9 seconds left and the two teams appeared to be headed back to Houston for a Game 7. What transpired next was purely magical. Lillard came off a double-screen to get off a 28-foot fadeaway over the outstretched arm of Parsons. Shortly after the buzzer sounded, the ball swished through the net to end the series and move the Trail Blazers into the Western Conference Semifinals.

1. "Rip Citaaaay!"

May 2 in Rip City

With the monkey only moments removed from the Trail Blazers' back, and the crowd still in a surreal moment of shock and amazement, Damian Lillard grabbed the public address microphone and belted the two words that have represented Portland fans for decades. The two words that became iconic well before Lillard was born have transcend generations of Trail Blazers fans. Coined by Hall of Fame broadcaster Bill Schonely in 1971, the phrase has become synonymous with Trail Blazers fans across the globe. When Lillard grabbed the mic in the heat of the moment, not only was it the proverbial cherry on top, it was the top moment of 2014 in "Rip Citaaaay!"