♪♪
♪♪ >>
♪♪ >> AN
♪♪ >> AN UNLIKELY PLAYOFF RUN AT
RIB CITY AT THE EDGE OF THEIR
SEATS.
SEATS.
SEATS. DIDN'T END WITH THE CHAMPIONSHIP
WIN, BUT THE PORTLAND TRAIL
BLAZERS TOOK FANS ON A WILD
RIDE.
RIDE.
RIDE. FOR
RIDE. FOR THE MOMENTS WE CAN'T FORGET
TO THE ONES WE DO NOT WANT TO
REMEMBER.
REMEMBER.
REMEMBER. TODAY, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
THIS INCREDIBLE LASERS SEASON
WITH OUR TEAM MEMBERS IN FRONT
OF THE CAMERA AND BEHIND THE
SCENES.
SCENES.
SCENES. FROM KGW NEWS, THIS IS
STRAIGHT TALK WITH LAURAL
PORTER.
PORTER.
PORTER. >>> HELLO, AND WELCOME TO
STRAIGHT TALK, I AM LAURAL
PORTER.
PORTER.
PORTER. THE NBA FINALS UNDERWAY BETWEEN
GOLDEN STATE AND TORONTO.
BROOKLYN DID NOT MAKE IT THAT
FAR BUT RIP CITY IS BASKING IN
THE EXCITEMENT OF THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL SEASON FOR THE
TROUBLE IS IS 19 YEARS.
IT WAS THE SEASON TO REMEMBER
AND TO SAVOR.
WE REFLECT ON WHAT THIS SEASON
MEANT FOR THE TEAM, THE FANS,
THE CITY OF PORTLAND, AND WHAT
WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT
YEAR.
YEAR.
YEAR. DREADING ME TO GIVE ME THE
PERSPECTIVE ALREADY MEMBERS.
LET ME AN ISSUE TO OUR TEAM.
YOU WILL RECOGNIZE ORLANDO
SANCHEZ.
SANCHEZ.
SANCHEZ. HE FOLLOWED THE TEAM TO
OKLAHOMA CITY, DENVER, AND
OAKLAND, DURING THE PLAYOFF
RUN.
RUN.
RUN. THAT
RUN. THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO MY NOT
RECOGNIZE BUT PLAYED AN
IMPORTANT ROLE.
IMPORTANT ROLE. JARED COWLEY COVERED AND HE IS
THE COHOST OF MY 3-ON-3
PODCAST.
PODCAST.
PODCAST. AND ALSO JOINING US IS ANOTHER
COHOST IS NATE HANSON.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, IT
IS YOUR FIRST TIME HERE.
IT IS SUCH AN EXCITING SEASON.
THE TEAM LIFTED UP THE CITY.
IF YOU HAD TO DESCRIBE THE
CITY, HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN IT
?
?
? >>
? >> UNEXPECTED.
>> UNEXPECTED. THERE IS NOT A WAY THAT I COULD
SEE THIS COMING.
>> THIS IS A TEAM THAT HAD
STRUGGLED IN THE POSTSEASON.
KIND OF BECAME THE NARRATIVE
OUTSIDE OF THE LOCKER ROOM AND
THEY CAME BACK AND CHANGED ALL
OF THAT IN THE POSTSEASON THIS
YEAR.
YEAR.
YEAR. >>
YEAR. >> HOW ABOUT JARED ?
>> HEART AND GREAT, THEY WENT
THROUGH A LOT OF ADVERSITY AND
SHOWED A LOT OF HEART WITH THE
WAY THAT THEY PLAYED ALL SEASON
LONG.
LONG.
LONG. >>
LONG. >> THERE WERE SO MANY
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SEASON.
AND OF COURSE THE 37 FOOT
BUZZER-BEATER AT THE END OF THE
FIRST SERIES PLAYOFF.
THAT WE HAD A QUADRUPLE
OVERTIME AGAINST THE NUGGETS.
WHO CAN FORGET THAT ? WE HAD
THE MOTHER'S DAY WHEN IN GAME 7
AGAINST THE NUGGETS.
GO, MOMS!
GO, MOMS!
GO, MOMS! TELL ME WHAT YOUR NUMBER ONE
HIGHLIGHT IS?
HIGHLIGHT IS? >> I'M GOING TO TAKE THE EASY
WAY OUT.
WAY OUT.
WAY OUT. I'M GOING TO GO WITH THE SHOT
THAT PAUL GEORGE NOT BECAUSE IT
IS THE SHOT YOU AND US WAS TO
TAKE.
TAKE.
TAKE. IT
TAKE. IT IS AT THE BUZZER AND AT
HOME.
HOME.
HOME. DAMIAN LILLARD WAVING GOODBYE
TO THE OKC THUNDER.
THIS MOMENT RIGHT THERE.
RIGHT INTO THE CAMERA.
JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT IS UP.
IT IS A MOMENT THAT I DO NOT
THINK RIP CITY WILL EVER
FORGET.
FORGET.
FORGET. IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK
THEY WILL SAY WHERE WERE YOU
WHEN HE HIT THE SHOT ? AND
NUMBER TWO AT THE MODA CENTER.
IT WAS A SPECIAL MOMENT.
EVEN DOWN TO THE VICTORY LAP.
JUST TAKING IT ALL IN.
PORTLAND AND THE FANS DID NOT
WANT TO LEAVE THE MODA CENTER.
THEY WANT TO THE PARTY TO GO
ALL NIGHT LONG.
TO HAVE THAT MOMENT, I JUST
THINK, IT PUTS AN EXCLAMATION
POINT ON WHAT WAS AN EMOTIONAL
SEASON AND TO HAVE THAT
REDEMPTION THAT YOU MENTIONED
WAS REALLY SWEET.
PORTLAND WILL NEVER FORGET.
>> IT WILL GO DOWN IN SPORTS
HISTORY.
HISTORY.
HISTORY. >> MINE WILL BE A LITTLE LESS
OF A HIGHLIGHT.
MINE IS PROBABLY THE LOWEST
POINT OF THE SEASON FOR THE
TRAIL BLAZERS.
TRAIL BLAZERS. IT WAS THE INJURY TO JUSUF
NURKIC. IT WAS A HARD-FOUGHT
BATTLE AND THE INJURY OF JUSUF
NURKIC HAPPENED AND THE AIR WAS
SUCKED OUT OF THE MODA CENTER.
EVERYONE REALIZED IT WAS NOT
THE NORMAL INJURY.
I HAD NEVER BEEN IN A SPORTING
ARENA ATMOSPHERE LIKE THAT WERE
NO ONE SUDDENLY CARED ABOUT THE
OUTCOME OF THE GAME. AND HOW
JUSUF NURKIC WAS MATTERED MORE
THAN THE BLAZERS ENDING UP
WINNING IN DOUBLE OVERTIME.
AND THEN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE
HEART OF THE BLAZERS.
THEY CAME BACK AND RESPONDED
AFTER THE INJURY AND PUT
TOGETHER THE SPECTACULAR END OF
THE REGULAR SEASON AND
POSTSEASON THAT WE SAW.
>> THAT WAS THE NIGHT THAT THEY
CLINCHED A PLAYOFF POSITION FOR
THE SIXTH YEAR IN A ROW.
WAS OVERSHADOWED.
WAS OVERSHADOWED. >> THE BLAZERS MAKE THE
PLAYOFFS QUITE FREQUENTLY, BUT
NOBODY REALLY CARED BECAUSE OF
THE INJURY AND HOW DEVASTATING
IT WAS.
IT WAS.
IT WAS. HE IS SUCH A BELOVED MEMBER OF
THE TEAM OF THE COMMUNITY.
>> THAT REALLY CHANGED
EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING. >> I THINK WE TALK ABOUT THE
MEMORABLE MOMENTS OF THE
SEASON, THEY ARE SUCCESSES THAT
STARTED WITH TRAGEDY.
HEADING BACK TO THE BEGINNING
OF THE SEASON WHEN PAUL ALLEN
PASSED AWAY.
PASSED AWAY. THAT WAS JUST THREE DAYS BEFORE
THE SEASON STARTED.
SO YOU HAD THIS TRAGIC MOMENT
WHERE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
IN PORTLAND REALIZE HOW MUCH
THEY CARED ABOUT HIM.
AND THEN THE BLAZERS WERE
WELCOMING THE BIGGEST STORY IN
THE NBA AT THAT POINT.
LeBRON JAMES' FIRST GAME WITH
THE LAKERS AND THE LAKERS WERE
COMING INTO TOWN AND THE
COMMISSIONER OF THE NBA WAS
HERE AND IT WAS A HUGE DEAL.
THAN THE BLAZERS PULLED OFF THE
UPSET AND BEAT THE LAKERS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAKERS NOW,
THEY ARE KIND OF A JOKE,
ALMOST, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT
THEY PLAYED THE SEASON AND WHAT
HAS GONE ON WITH THE FRONT
OFFICE, BUT WHEN THE BLAZERS
BEAT THE LAKERS AT THAT POINT,
IT WAS A REALLY BIG DEAL.
THERE WAS SO MUCH HYPE
SURROUNDING THE TEAM.
FOR THEM TO TAKE SOMETHING
TRAGIC LIKE PAUL ALLEN STAFF
ENTERED INTO SOMETHING
MEANINGFUL LIKE THEY DID ALL
SEASON LONG, THAT REALLY
ENCAPSULATES WITH THE SEASON
WAS ALL ABOUT.
>> I KNOW HOW PAUL ALLEN WOULD
HAVE LOVED THE SEASON IN HIS
MEMORY.
MEMORY.
MEMORY. WE TALK ABOUT ADVERSITY.
YOU MENTION IT WITH THE INJURY
AND THE DEATH OF PAUL ALLEN.
WE HAD C.J.
McCOLLUM INJURED.
McCOLLUM INJURED. AND THEN THERE WAS A TERRIBLE
CRASH THAT HIT THE TEAM HARD.
WITH ALL OF THE SETBACKS, HOW
DID THEY MANAGE TO PULL OFF THE
MAGICAL SEASON?
MAGICAL SEASON? >> IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
JUST BEING IN THE LOCKER ROOM.
ANY TIME THAT THERE WAS
ADVERSITY OR A HOBBY, WE WOULD
ASK, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THIS
? HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH IT ?
THEY WERE JUST STRONG THE
ENTIRE TIME.
ENTIRE TIME. IT OUT LIKE IT BROUGHT THEM
CLOSER TOGETHER AND THEY PLAYED
EVEN BETTER ON THE COURT.
>> THAT IS A REAL TESTAMENT TO
THE TEAM.
THE TEAM.
THE TEAM. THEY GOT A LOT OF RESPECT
ACROSS THE LEAGUE, EVEN FROM
THE COACH OF THE VOYEURS, STEVE
KERR, AFTER THE WESTERN
CONFERENCE FINALS AND THE
WARRIORS SWEPT THE BLAZERS, BUT
HE HAS SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS
TO SAY ABOUT THE BLAZERS AND
THE EXIT INTERVIEW.
LET'S LISTEN.
LET'S LISTEN. >> I KNOW THE CITY LOVES ITS
TEAM.
TEAM.
TEAM. AND
TEAM. AND THEY SHOULD LOVE THIS
VERSION OF THIS TEAM IS MUCH AS
ANY OF THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE A
GREAT GROUP.
GREAT GROUP. WE HAD TO FIGHT AND SCRAP AND
IN THE END, IT WAS A SWEET, BUT
WE HAD TO SCRAP AND CLAW FOR
THREE OF THE FOUR VICTORIES.
THIS WAS A LOT MORE DIFFICULT
THAN IT MAY HAVE APPEARED.
>> THOSE ARE SOME NICE THINGS
FROM STEVE KERR. WE THINK THE
BLAZERS LEARNED FROM PLAYING
THE WARRIORS ?
>> AFTER GAME 4 WHEN THE SEASON
WAS OVER, I ACTUALLY ASKED THAT
OF DAMIAN LILLARD AT THE PODIUM
AFTER THE GAME.
HE SAID THAT THEY REALIZED HOW
MUCH FURTHER THEY HAD TO GO.
THAT THEY WERE CLOSE.
THE DOUBLE-DIGIT LEADS IN 3 OF
THE 4 GAMES, BUT HE RECOGNIZED
HOW HARD YOU HAVE TO WORK.
AND HOW MUCH -- I THINK A LOT
OF TIMES, YOU SEE THIS WITH
TEAMS, WHERE THEY HAVE TO KIND
OF BE TESTED BEFORE THEY CAN
EXPERIENCE TRUE SUCCESS.
WE SAW THAT WITH THE CHICAGO
BULLS.
BULLS.
BULLS. THEY HAD TO GET BEATEN BY THE
PISTONS.
PISTONS.
PISTONS. THAT WAS SEVERAL YEARS IN A ROW
BEFORE THEY FINALLY BROKE
THROUGH AGAINST THE TEAM.
THEN THEY WENT ON TO WIN A
CHAMPIONSHIP.
CHAMPIONSHIP. I THINK THAT DAMIAN LILLARD SAW
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. IT
THIS. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY
HAD VENTURED THIS DEEP INTO THE
PLAYOFFS AND PLAYING THE BEST
TEAM IN THE NBA.
I THINK YOU LEARN HOW HARD YOU
HAVE TO WORK AND HOW LONG YOU
HAVE TO SUSTAIN THAT EFFORT
LEVEL AND SUSTAIN THE LEVEL OF
EXCELLENCE TO GET ALL THE WAY
TO THE NBA FINALS AND WIN IT
ALL.
ALL.
ALL. >>
ALL. >> WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT ON
PAPER, IT WAS A SWEEP.
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT THE
TEAM AND WATCH THEM PLAY THE
WARRIORS ?
WARRIORS ? >> WE LEARNED THAT WHILE IT WAS
A SWEET, IT WAS A LOT CLOSER
THAN WHAT YOUR TYPICAL 4-0
SWEEP WOULD BE IF YOU READ IN
THE NEWSPAPER.
THE NEWSPAPER. THEY LED THE WARRIORS FOR MORE
MINUTES THAN THE WARRIORS LED
THE BLAZERS IN THE SERIES.
SO WHILE JERRY TALKED ABOUT THE
BLAZERS AND DAMIAN LILLARD TALK
ABOUT HAVE MORE TO WORK ON AN A
LOT FURTHER TO GO, LOVE THAT
COMES WITH THE EXPERIENCE THAT
THEY JUST GOT PLAYING GOLDEN
STATE.
STATE.
STATE. EXPERIENCE OF CLOSING OUT A
HUGE PLAYOFF GAME.
THE BLAZERS HAVE BEEN IN THE
PLAYOFFS THEY BEEN IN THE FIRST
ROUND AND THE SECOND ROUND.
BUT AS YOU GET FURTHER INTO THE
PLAYOFFS, JUST GETS BIGGER AND
BIGGER AND BIGGER.
THIS WAS THE SECOND CASE OF THE
WESTERN CONFERENCE IN ALMOST 2
DECADES.
DECADES.
DECADES. THIS EXPRESS WILL COME BACK IN
THE FUTURE FOR THEM AND RIGHT
NOW, THEY ARE ARGUABLY THE
SECOND BEST TEAM IN THE WESTERN
CONFERENCE AND LIKE I SAID, IT
WAS A 4-0 SWEEP AND THEY ARE
NOT THAT FAR FROM GOLDEN SAY.
>> AND HIS EXIT INTERVIEW,
DAMIAN LILLARD TALKED ABOUT
BEING COMPETITIVE AND PLAYING
TOUGH AND HOW THE BLAZERS MADE
BELIEVERS OUT OF PEOPLE AFTER A
LOT OF TALKS OVER THE YEARS.
NOW WILL LISTEN TO HIM AND GET
YOUR TAKE ON IT.
>> MORE THAN ANYTHING, WE
SHOWED THAT IT IS A REAL
POSSIBILITY.
POSSIBILITY. IT IS NOT JUST WISHFUL THINKING.
I GUESS, SAYING THAT THIS IS
WHAT WE WANT TO DO OR PUTTING
IT OUT THERE AND NOT REALLY
BELIEVING IT.
BELIEVING IT. I THINK WE SHOW THAT WE CAN GET
IN THERE.
IN THERE.
IN THERE. >> DOES THE SET THE TABLE FOR
THE NEXT SEASON ?
>> WITHOUT A DOUBT.
THEY MENTIONED TASTING THAT.
YOU NEED THAT TO PROVE TO
YOURSELF THAT WE CAN GET THIS
DONE.
DONE.
DONE. IT
DONE. IT IS ALL TALK.
THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT I HAD
ASKED BECAUSE I ASKED, IS THERE
A LITTLE BIT OF INDICATION TO
SAY THAT I'M A MAN OF MY WORD
AND I WANT TO BE HERE WITH THE
TEAM.
TEAM.
TEAM. MY
TEAM. MY DREAMS ARE TO HAVE A PARADE
DOWN BROADWAY AND CELEBRATE
HERE IN PORTLAND.
TO TAKE NOT ONLY THE NEXT STEP,
BUT TWO STEPS ALONG THAT PATH
OF WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP, THAT
SPEAKS VOLUMES FOR THE TEAM AND
THE FACT THAT THE SYSTEM THAT
THEY HAVE PLACE, THE ROSTER
THAT WE HAVE, IT IS GOOD ENOUGH
TO COMPETE.
TO COMPETE. ELLIS CONTINUE TO BUILD OFF OF
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. NOW
THAT. NOW THAT WE KNOW IT IS LIKE TO
BE AGAINST A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
THAT KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN
IT ALL IN GOLDEN STATE.
>> AND EVERY PLAYER ON THE
ROSTER NOW BELIEVES THAT.
WEARS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE
EXPENSE WE HAVE GONE THROUGH
THAT, SO THAT EVERY PLAYER THAT
IS PLAYING BELIEVES THAT.
>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, TALK
IS CHEAP AND THEY WERE ABLE TO
PROVE THAT IT WAS NOT JUST
TALK.
TALK.
TALK. >>
TALK. >> AND THAT BELIEF IS NOT JUST
WITH THE PLAYERS.
ONE OF THE THINGS OF THE
BLAZERS HAD RUN INTO BECAUSE
THEY HAD BEEN ELIMINATED 70
TIMES WAS TO BELIEVE IN THE FAN
BASE THAT THE TEAM WAS REALLY
MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD THE GOAL
AND BRINGING THE CHAMPIONSHIP TO
PORTLAND.
PORTLAND.
PORTLAND. THIS RUN REINSTALL THE HOPE NOT
ONLY WITH THE PLAYERS WITH THE
FAN BASE.
FAN BASE.
FAN BASE. >> JUST THINK BACK TO THE
NARRATIVE AND THE DISCUSSION.
THEY CAN'T PLAY TOGETHER.
NEED TO GET RID OF THE ROSTER.
NEED TO FIRE THE COACH.
WE NEED TO FIRE THE GM.
WE NEED TO MAKE ALL OF THE
DRASTIC CHANGES IN ORDER FOR IT
TO WORK AND WHAT THEY SAID IS
FORGET THAT, WE WILL MAKE IT
HAPPEN.
HAPPEN.
HAPPEN. >> THEY SILENCED THAT FOR SURE
WITH THE WALKING OF THE TALK.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE
TEAMS PLAYERS.
TEAMS PLAYERS. HE HAS BEEN A HARSH CRITIC OF
THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT.
HE WAS LABELED AS A TERRORIST.
THE SENATOR SPOKE ON HIS BEHALF
ON THE SENATE FLOOR.
THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS COMMUNITY. THIS STATE REALLY RALLIED
AROUND AND EMBRACED ENES
KANTER.
KANTER.
KANTER. WHAT DID HE MEAN TO THE TEAM ?
>> HE WAS SO IMPORTANT.
HE CAME TO THE BLAZERS AND WAS
GOING TO BE A BLACKOUT . HE
STEPPED IN AND PERFORMED BETTER
THAN ANYONE EXPECTED.
PROBABLY BETTER THAN HIS
COACHES AND TEAMMATES. HE WAS
PHENOMENAL.
PHENOMENAL. I THINK THE REASON HE BUILT
SUCH A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE CITY OF PORTLAND WAS NOT
JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY HE
PLAYED ON THE COURT.
THAT WAS A BIG PART OF IT, BUT
ALSO BECAUSE PORTLAND SAW HOW
GREAT OF A HUMAN BEING THIS MAN
IS.
IS.
IS. I
IS. I THINK THAT, COMBINED WITH HOW
HE PLAYED ON THE COURT, IS WHY
PORTLAND FELL IN LOVE WITH
THEM.
THEM.
THEM. >>
THEM. >> HE SAID THIS IS HIS BEST
SEASON OF HIS CAREER.
>> HE FITS WITH THE MOLD OF
WHAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY THINK
OF THE CITY OF ORLAND.
HE WAS OUTSPOKEN FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS AND FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.
THAT IS VERY MUCH WITHIN THE
MOLD OF THIS CITY.
WHEN HE STEPPED IN, NOT ONLY
WAS HE TOUGH ON THE FLOOR,
WHICH EVERYONE IN RIP CITY
LOVED, BUT HE WAS ALSO TOUGH ON
THOSE WHO WERE NOT SUPPORTIVE
OF EVERYONE OFF OF IT.
>> WE MIGHT LOSE THEM.
THAT IS THE TOP PART FOR THE
BLAZERS FANS.
BLAZERS FANS. YOU DON'T SEE THIS VERY OFTEN
WHERE IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS,
YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE THIS TYPE
OF CONNECTION WITH AN ENTIRE
COMMUNITY AND THE WAY THAT HE
WEARS HIS HEART ON HIS SLEEVE,
HE IS ABLE TO TALK OPENLY AND
CANDIDLY ABOUT A VARIETY OF
TOPICS THE MOST PROFESSIONAL
ATHLETES CANNOT DO OR WILL NOT
DO.
DO.
DO. HE
DO. HE IS
DO. HE IS THERE SAYING, THIS IS WHO
I AM, LOVE ME OR HATE ME.
THIS IS WHO I AM.
IT IS UNIQUE AND THAT IS A TOUGH
PART FOR RIP CITY.
BECAUSE HOW THE FLEXIBLE THE
SETUP GOING INTO THE OFF-
SEASON, YOU MIGHT BE SAYING
GOODBYE TO A BELOVED PLAYER IN
RIP CITY.
RIP CITY.
RIP CITY. >> THAT WILL BE SAD.
WE TALK ABOUT OFF COURT
CONTRIBUTIONS AND HE STARTED
CAMPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
33 DIFFERENT STATES AND 41
DIFFERENT CAMPS.
DIFFERENT CAMPS. ALL OF THEM ARE FREE.
LET'S LISTEN TO WHAT THE KIDS
HAD TO SAY ABOUT IT AND WHAT
ENES KANTER HAD TO SAY.
>> Reporter: WE THE MOST
EXCITED FOR TODAY?
>> SEEING ENES KANTER.
>> I'M EXCITED TO SEE ENES
KANTER.
KANTER.
KANTER. >> IT WILL BE SO NICE FOR THEM
TO JUST MEET AIDEN AND NBA
PLAYER.
PLAYER.
PLAYER. DISPLAY 101.
DISPLAY 101. >> IT IS AWESOME.
WHEN I HEARD ABOUT IT, I WAS
FREAKING OUT.
FREAKING OUT. IT IS SO COOL.
>> I THINK THE KIDS REALLY LIKE
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. IT
THAT. IT IS NOT JUST ENES KANTER, WE
SEE A LOT OF PLAYERS DOING
THINGS OFF ACCORDING
CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> AND DAMIAN LILLARD HAS A LOT
WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
WORK HARD AND SHOW UP AS PART
OF THE PROGRAM.
SO WE SEE DAMIAN LILLARD
INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, ALSO
RODNEY HOOD, HE WAS ONLY HERE
FOR A FEW SHORT MONTHS AND HE
WAS INVOLVED IN A COUPLE OF
RECYCLING PROGRAMS TO HELP
CLEAN UP THE PORTLAND AREA.
THAT IS ONE OF THE SPECIAL
THINGS, THE CONNECTION THEY
HAVE THE COMMUNITY.
>> IT IS NICE TO HAVE A TEAM
THAT THE KIDS CAN LOOK UP TO.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK.
WHAT DOES THE TEAM LOOK LIKE
AFTER THE DEATH OF PAUL ALLEN.
WE WILL HEAR FROM MAYOR TED