“So tough glide”- Damian Lillard reacts to Trail Blazers legend Clyde Drexler’s incredible finger roll finish
Damian Lillard and Clyde Drexler are two of the greatest Portland Trail Blazer players in the franchise's history. While Lillard has made his living with clutch shots and logo three-pointers, Drexler was known for his tough finger-roll finishes.
On Sunday, Lillard shared a video of Drexler’s incredible layup on his social media, giving props to the Blazers legend. The video showed the Blazers’ legend’s iconic finger roll in a game against the Houston Rockets. Drexler, who was also famously known as “The Glide,” had shot the finger roll from the free throw line.
Amazed by Drexler’s iconic shot, Lillard shared the post on his Instagram story and captioned the post:
“So tough Glide.”
Drexler's famous shot came against the Rockets in the first round of the 1993–94 playoffs. The Blazers ultimately lost the five-game series in four games. The following season, Drexler joined the Houston Rockets.
In 12 seasons with the Blazers, Drexler averaged 20.8 points per game and 47.8% from the field. He also averaged 6.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.0 steals per game. During his time, Portland was one of the best teams in the league.
Damian Lillard or Clyde Drexler, who is the greatest Trail Blazer?
Damian Lillard supporters have legitimate arguments to declare him the greatest player in Portland Trail Blazers history. However, there are also a substantial number of people who consider Clyde Drexler to be the greatest of all time for the franchise.
Drexler (18,040) was the highest scorer for the Blazers franchise before Damian Lillard broke his record during the 2022–23 season. Moreover, when it comes to personal achievements and franchise achievements on the basketball court, Drexler leaves Lillard far behind.
The Portland Trail Blazers made it to the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons, from the 2013–14 season onwards, after Lillard was drafted in the 2012–13 season. However, as much promise as the franchise showed, Lillard could not take his team to the NBA Finals.
With Lillard, the Blazers' best playoff achievement was reaching the Western Conference finals. They advanced to the WCF during the 2018–19 season but were swept by the Golden State Warriors. Lillard spent 11 seasons with the Blazers before joining the Milwaukee Bucks for the 2023–24 season.
Clyde Drexler spent 12 seasons playing for the Blazers before joining the Houston Rockets during the 1995–96 season. After he joined the Blazers in the 1983–84 season as a rookie, the team made the playoffs nine consecutive times. With Drexler, the Blazers also made it to the NBA Finals twice.
Drexler led the Blazers to the NBA Finals in 1989–90, where they were beaten by the Detroit Pistons in five games. Drexler led the Blazers to the Finals again in 1991–92, but they were defeated in six games by the Chicago Bulls.