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Best of the Season, Part VI: Lillard sits as Trail Blazers beat San Antonio Spurs

By Matt George Moore

PORTLAND, OR - JANUARY 7 : CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers shoots the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 7, 2018 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - JANUARY 7 : CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers shoots the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 7, 2018 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Damian Lillard was a late scratch for a January home game against the always tough San Antonio Spurs. But CJ McCollum led the way in Lillard’s absence.

As 2018 got underway, the Portland Trail Blazers were still trying to keep their heads above water. Entering a Jan. 7 home game against the San Antonio Spurs, Portland was just two games above .500 at 20-18.

And with the midway point of the season quickly approaching, the Trail Blazers had yet to establish a strong identity. But there were signs of improvement — most notably from Jusuf Nurkic.

But some of Portland’s other vital cogs were beginning to assert — and in Maurice Harkless’ case, reassert — themselves.

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Against the Spurs, Shabazz Napier (15 points on 7/9 shooting, seven assists, five rebounds, two steals) and Harkless (19 points on 7/10 shooting, including 3/4 from three, five rebounds and two blocks) were active.

Nurkic (17 points, 13 rebounds) locked down the center position. Pat Connaughton and Zach Collins added nine points each off the bench.

This game was an early sign that the Blazers were starting to get production from all over their lineup.

Unfortunately, this winning characteristic was far too often missing for the Blazers during the 2017-2018 season. And it abandoned them completely in the playoffs.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

CJ to the Rescue

The Spurs, who finished the season No. 7 in the Western Conference with a 47-35 record, are a team filled with aging superstars. But they’re still a handful, as any Blazers fan will tell you.

And in their matchup with Portland on Jan. 7, they were especially difficult to put away. That task wasn’t made any easier by the fact that Damian Lillard was on the bench in street clothes, nursing a strained right calf. (He would miss the next game against OKC, too.)

Former Blazer LaMarcus Aldridge (30 points, 14 rebounds), Pau Gasol (16 points, nine rebounds, five assists) and Manu Ginobili (26 points off the bench, including 6/9 from three) were tops for the Spurs, who had a 110-109 lead with just 13 seconds left.

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And then CJ McCollum (25 points, seven assists, five rebounds, two steals) sealed the game for Portland with a tough shot that hung on the rim before dropping into the basket.

Aldridge had a chance to win the game for the Spurs, but he bricked an 18-point jumper.

Portland had its victory — one of the best of the season.