What happened: Reflecting on his first "Dame Time" experience as a teammate, Ja said he is "pretty much embracing for a celebration every time he shoots" in the final period. The remarks followed Lillard's late-game finish that sealed a victory.

Why it matters: Lillard immediately reclaimed crunch-time closing duties upon rejoining the lineup for the 2026-27 regular season. His late-game shotmaking anchors a four-guard backcourt rotation in which each player is averaging between 20 and 29 minutes per game.

What to watch: How late-game touches are distributed across that guard group will remain a focal point as the early-season schedule progresses.