DENVER -- It was a source of pride for Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers, the way they held their composure in a heated series against the Oklahoma City Thunder with their trash-talking of opponents and the officials.
In some ways, they believe that's why they won the series; they kept their cool, they maintained their focus and concentrated on themselves and no one else.
In Monday's 121-113 Game 1 loss to the Denver Nuggets, Lillard conceded the Blazers may have gotten distracted at times.
"I think it was a little bit more of that, probably more than we needed," he said.