Damian Lillard has not fully rediscovered the dynamic form that made him a nine-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA selection before he tore his Achilles, and at 36, he may never get all the way back. 

What the Portland Trail Blazers’ early results show, however, is that a star of his caliber does not need to be at his peak to make an impact.

Lillard’s road back to Portland began with his Achilles injury. After being traded from the Trail Blazers to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023, he tore his Achilles in the first round of the 2025 playoffs against the Indiana Pacers, and Milwaukee waived him that July, stretching what remained of his contract. 

The Trail Blazers took advantage of the opportunity, re-signing him less than two weeks later to a three-year, $42 million deal. He sat out last season to rehabilitate, though he still won the Three-Point Contest at 2026 All-Star Weekend for the third time, tying the league record for most titles.

The numbers prove that Lillard is not all the way back yet. Through 11 games, Lillard is averaging 19.8 points, 2.8 three-pointers, 3.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists which are fantastic numbers on their own, yet his lowest scoring average since the 19.0 he posted as the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year with Portland.

Even so, the Trail Blazers are thriving with him back on the floor for them and hitting his signature logo threes.

After an encouraging 42-40 finish last season with him cheering them on from the sidelines, they have opened 8-3 following back-to-back home wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lillard’s leadership on and off the court, along with his still elite three-point shooting, is a major reason why they have been as good as they have. He is second on the team in scoring behind Deni Avdija, last season’s and this season’s leading scorer, who is averaging 23.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists. 

Avdija’s scoring is slightly below last season’s 24.2 points per game, but his field goal percentage has improved from 46.2 percent to 47.4 percent, as defenses cannot fully clamp down on him given the threat of Lillard.

The team’s success looks even better considering Ja Morant has played in only four games, after a hamstring strain in late October against his former team, the Memphis Grizzlies, sidelined him for at least four weeks. Even without him for most of the season so far, Portland is proving to be feisty and could emerge as a dark horse in the West. 

With Lillard, Avdija, Morant, Jrue Holiday and Donovan Clingan, it has a strong mix of players both young and old. Lillard and Holiday bring veteran stability, Avdija and Clingan are improving young players who have yet to reach their ceilings, and Morant, a two-time All-Star in 2022 and 2023 who is still only 27, could rediscover his explosive form which would greatly raise their ceiling as a team.

Lillard is a franchise icon, and it is only fitting that this latest playoff-capable iteration of the Trail Blazers waited for him to come back before rising. Age and an Achilles tear have not made him any less useful and there could not have been a more fitting situation for Lillard to make his triumphant return.