Damian Lillard: Blazers 'Planning' Return to Oracle Arena Despite 2-0 Deficit

According to Dame Time, there will be a Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday, May 22, despite the Portland Trail Blazers' 2-0 deficit to the Golden State Warriors. 

When asked by a reporter how he felt as an Oakland native about potentially having just played in Oracle Arena for the last time, Blazers All-Star point guard Damian Lillard responded, "I mean, yeah, this the last season they gonna play in this building. ... I mean, I doubt this will be the last time. We plan on being back here."

Lillard and the Blazers let one slip away at Oracle Thursday night as they led by 17 points in the third quarter only to lose Game 2 114-111. Lillard led Portland with 23 points, 10 assists and five rebounds. The 28-year-old has unfinished business at Oracle, though, as it was his three-point attempt that Andre Iguodala stole to end the game.

"I know it's a tough position for the referees to be in to make a call at that point in the game," said Lillard, per ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon. "Tried to get a little bit of space the first time. He grabbed my arm, and I lost the ball a little bit. I regained it, and I was going to shoot it again. He got his hand on the ball.

"For me, as the offensive player, I felt like it was contact. There was a lot of contact. But, obviously, the ref is not going to decide the game or jump in at that point. You know, so ... good defensive play."

Games 3 and 4 of the series will be played at Portland's Moda Center, and it goes without saying that the Blazers need to win at least one of them in order to play at Oracle again. Regardless of venue, the Blazers are trying to make the NBA Finals for the first time since the 1991-92 season.

Beginning with the 2019-2020 season, the Warriors will move from Oakland to play at the Chase Center in San Francisco.