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Portland Trail Blazers: The greatest Opening Day performances in franchise history (Pt. 2)

By Marlow Ferguson Jr.

PORTLAND, OR - SEPTEMBER 25: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers celebrates after hitting a three point shot late in the fourth quarter of an NBA game against the Utah Jazzat the Moda Center on September 25, 2016 in Portland, Oregon. Lillard scored 39 points as the Blazers won 113-104. 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. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - SEPTEMBER 25: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers celebrates after hitting a three point shot late in the fourth quarter of an NBA game against the Utah Jazzat the Moda Center on September 25, 2016 in Portland, Oregon. Lillard scored 39 points as the Blazers won 113-104. 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. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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Portland Trail Blazers
Clyde Drexler, Portland Trail Blazers (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

No. 3: Clyde Drexler

Date: November 1st, 1991 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Statistics: 31 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists | 14-of-20 FG, 2-of-2 FT

We didn’t know it at the time, but the NBA scheduling granted fans with a gem of an Opening Night game, pitting two of the Association’s four best teams head-to-head to open the year.

By season’s end, both of these teams were 57-win powerhouses that would have been remembered more positively, if not for the existence of Michael Jordan.

For that reason, what Clyde Drexler did within this degree of difficulty deserves some credit. There isn’t film on the game, but newspapers at the time — The World Newspaper in Coos Bay, Oregon and the Statesman’s Journal — told two central stories: Drexler’s dominance despite dealing with foul trouble, and the Blazers’ defensive aggression as a whole.

He was crucial to an 8-0 run that gave Portland cushion to pull out a win against Larry Nance and Brad Daugherty’s Cavaliers, and for that, he certainly earned a spot on this list’s top three. This season, likely the most fulfilling of his career, saw Drexler average 25.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists on 47.0 percent shooting, finishing No. 2 in the MVP race.

As shown, he wasted little time generating momentum.

Drexler made it a habit of being an excellent Opening Day performer, often in front of the Oregon crowd. And this was arguably his best.