Jrue Holiday reveals how Damian Lillard is helping the Blazers despite missing the entire season with injury

OKLAHOMA CITY — Despite list of injuries that have plagued the Portland Blazers — titled Damian LillardSeasonal Recovery — Veteran Jrue Holiday see the team on the road to success. After a 122-95 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team the Blazers defeated on Nov. 5, handing the defending champions their only loss of the season, Holiday discovered the luxury of having Lillard on his team.

For Jrue, that led to detailed conversations because Lillard, while inactive, still makes his presence felt, which Holiday says resonates throughout the team.

“We played together in the Olympics. I was with Adidas. So we did some things together with that,” Holiday tells ClutchPoints. “So, I’ve known him for a long time. Just his knowledge of the game, the experiences he’s been through, even what he brings to me and the rest of the team when we’re playing, even though he’s off the field, is invaluable.”

Amid Lillard’s season-long recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, Holiday and the Blazers’ win against the Thunder in early November capped a 5-3 regular season opener. Danny Avdia leads the team in scoring with 25.1 points per game, Shaedon Sharpe (22.6 points per game) is not far behind and Toumani Camara is building on his All-Defensive Team campaign last season.

“I think we’re having a great season,” Holliday said. “For the right intentions and how we are as a team, and our features have been great. So if we can stay healthy and stay healthy, we’ll be even better.”

Holiday, who sat out Sunday’s game with a calf injury, will be re-evaluated in one to two weeks. The Blazers’ Scoot Henderson, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, is expected to miss next month and Matisse Thibulle underwent surgery to repair a torn UCL in his left thumb. He will miss the next four to six weeks.

Jrue Holiday reveals eye-opening text from Blazers’ Damian Lillard

Blazers veterans Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard have stayed in touch via text throughout the summer prior to the 2025-26 season. Excited for a new chapter in their careers, says Lillard reached for him after Damian signed a new deal to return to the franchise he spent the first 11 years of his career playing for, according to DJ Siddiqui of RG.com.

“When he first re-signed with the team, (he) texted me, ‘Man, we really got a chance to be good,'” Holliday said.

While last summer wasn’t the first time Holiday was traded to the Blazers, he was looking forward to his new tenure weeks before the regular season.

“It feels like winning and competing and showing these guys who have so much talent,” Holliday added. “I don’t think you understand that Scoot and Shaedon are so athletic and so smart in the way they play the game. They’re going to be so good, and I feel like they just need time. I feel like the time is now because they have all the tools. I’m very excited to play with them.”

The Blazers will face the Bucks on Monday.