Dame Time Returns in Full Force

Damian Lillard delivered a vintage third-quarter performance that sent the Moda Center crowd into a frenzy Tuesday night, leading the Portland Trail Blazers to a commanding 123-103 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 36-year-old guard scored 13 points in the third quarter alone, nailing three consecutive deep three-pointers from 30, 28, and 30 feet to break open a tight game and give his teammates their first true immersion into the Dame Time phenomenon.

Lillard finished with 25 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-10 from beyond the arc and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. He added three rebounds and three assists while posting a plus-20 rating in just 23 minutes of action. The performance helped Portland improve to 7-3 on the season in front of a national audience on NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC and Peacock.

The highlight moment came at the third-quarter buzzer when Lillard launched a 30-foot moonshot over 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara, hitting nothing but net and sending the 19,367 fans into delirium. The shot capped a pivotal 17-4 Portland run midway through the quarter where Lillard scored or assisted on 12 of those points, turning a two-point deficit into a double-digit lead that the Thunder never threatened.

Young Teammates Witness the Magic

For many of Lillard's teammates, Tuesday night marked their first exposure to the acute attack mode that defined his previous tenure with the franchise. Portland star Deni Avdija could only rest his hands atop his head in apparent disbelief as Lillard's 30-footer splashed through before the buzzer.

Avdija contributed 24 points, six rebounds, and eight assists while posting a plus-21 rating in nearly 34 minutes. His all-around performance complemented Lillard's scoring outburst and gave Oklahoma City no answer on either end of the floor.

Donovan Clingan, the 22-year-old rookie center, was chest-bumping Lillard at halfcourt following one of those third-quarter three-point splashes. Clingan said he spent the quarter reminding Lillard who he is and what he does.

Thunder Struggle From Beyond the Arc

Oklahoma City (8-3) had no answer for Portland's offensive explosion in the third quarter. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 26 points but needed 22 shots to get there, finishing 8-of-22 from the field and 0-of-4 from three-point range. He did connect on 10 of 11 free throws and added eight rebounds and three assists, but his minus-17 rating told the story of a night where nothing went right for the visitors.

The loss snapped a solid start to the season for the Thunder, who had been considered one of the Western Conference's best teams through the first two weeks. Portland's balanced attack and relentless energy on both ends proved too much for Oklahoma City to handle, especially once Lillard shifted into attack mode in the third quarter.

Backup center Robert Williams III offered a unique description of watching Lillard when he's locked in, comparing his shooting motion to a yo-yo on a string that automatically returns to his hands.

Lillard laughed at the postgame podium when told about the yo-yo comparison. "That's the first time I've ever heard that. But if Rob said it, I'll take it, man. That's my dog right there."

The win marked Portland's fourth in five games and showed that even at 36 years old, Lillard can still take over games with the same deep-range shooting and clutch instinct that defined his earlier career with the franchise.