On any other night, the Portland Trail Blazers beating a Milwaukee Bucks team fielding its entire starting lineup would be huge news. But it wasn't any other night, because one of those Bucks starters was Damian Lillard, and it was the first time he was coming back home. To Portland.
The win still means something. It was the Blazers' best victory of the season. Anfernee Simons hit the game-winner. Scoot Henderson was the best player on the floor for a stretch during the first half. Portland has won back-to-back games for just the fourth time this season and is 5-5 in its last 10.
But it was a Damian Lillard celebration. The franchise's most beloved player returned to Moda Center for the first time since being traded to Milwaukee last offseason. Blazers fans in attendance witnessed a win, sure; but they got to show Dame how much they love him .
Trail Blazers fans react to Damian Lillard's return to Portland
It looked like a playoff atmosphere inside the arena (which actually makes the win even more impressive).
There were four standing ovations for Dame. One during warmups, one during player introductions and two more during a pair of tribute videos:
This one was especially cool:
Blazers Twitter shows Lillard love
Of course X (we have to do the "formerly Twitter" thing), had plenty of fan reactions from those who couldn't make it to the game.
There were some emotional ones:
There were some funny ones:
Disclaimer: That one has nothing to do with Dame at all but it was awesome.
Some about poor Brooke Lopez:
And the one that best sums up what the night was really about: