The Portland Trail Blazers were one series win away from an NBA Finals appearance to end the 2018-19 season. It didn’t quite feel that way because of how the Trail Blazers fell to the Golden State Warriors, but the league-wide message of Portland is on the cusp was well-received.
As history shows across the NBA landscape, veterans notice and want to be apart of contending cultures. This past offseason, Anthony Tolliver was no different when he signed a one-year deal with the team.
“Dame (Lillard) and CJ (McCollum) are one of, if not the best duo in the game right now,” Tolliver said to TSFJ over the phone following a Trail Blazers practice on a Tuesday afternoon. “They’re phenomenal. They’re mature. They’re leaders. They know what it takes.”
Tolliver is now entering his 12th NBA season. In three previous playoff appearances, the veteran forward had always been on one-and-done postseason squads, and he strongly believes that could change course this season.
“You surround those two guys with a bunch of guys who play hard and are in it for the right reasons, you’re gonna have a recipe for success,” Rollover offered. “A huge reason I wanted to come here was to be a part of what they’ve got going. I feel like they have a unique mix of everything you need to be successful.”
