NBA Friday: Raptors hold off Blazers, Cavaliers blow out Wizards

Coming out of the All-Star break, where most players took vacations but Lillard contemplated his holy vengeance for the snub, Lillard is averaging more than 33 points per game on nearly 50-percent shooting. His shots can come from anywhere, at any time, with such a quick, lethal stroke that defenders are constantly on edge whenever he’s even in their eyesight. Like this shot right here.

On Friday, Toronto had finally pulled ahead with a lead that seemed safe -- but eight points in the final minute from Lillard made things interesting until the final buzzer finally sounded. And Toronto is formidable! They’ve failed to sustain playoff success, but this year feels different, especially with a weaker Eastern Conference. DeMar DeRozan was incredible Friday, hitting his first 24 free throws before missing the final one. He still had 38 points on 7-of-19 shooting anyway, so life moves on.

Lance Stephenson plays basketball on a fine line between brilliance and disaster. On many occasions he combines the two. Sometimes the plays still manage to end well. Other times, this happens.

It all started well. Stephenson put a couple moves on and even managed to draw an extra defender. He split the two and was ready to dish a pass to an open teammate ... or absolutely nothing. It was all going so well, until it went all wrong.

The poor, sad, lowly Knicks. Everything goes right until it doesn’t.

If there is a NBA game being played in Toronto, Drake is probably somehow involved. He was very prominent at the All-Star Game last month and joined the Raptors broadcast during the game on Friday. That’s when he revealed the fun fact that he gifted his custom Kobe Bryant jacket to Stephen Curry.

You remember the one. You know, the jacket Drake was wearing when he ruined what would have been one of the better NBA photos of the season.

THAT’S THE EXACT SAME DUNK, BRON.

We’re not asking for him to dunk over a mascot while putting the ball under his legs or even throw down a risky windmill. But could we get, you know, something other than the I’m-going-to-go-up-with-one-hand-but-use-two-at-the-very-last-second-because-woooo-that’s-so-cool stuff he pulled off right there?

As much as we want success for Damian Lillard, at this point we wish he was an All-Star snub every year.

Ever since the All-Star break, Dame has gone berserk with individual games and shots. We now have a collection of Lillard long-range buzzer beaters, including one against the Brooklyn Nets and one against the Celtics.