Lillard, team owner Allen meet to discuss Trail Blazers' future

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Portland Trail Blazers' star guard Damian Lillard met with team owner Paul Allen recently to discuss the direction of the team, local media reported on Tuesday.

According to ESPN, the talk took place last Thursday before the Blazers' home game against the Indiana Pacers. Most of the discussion centered on Lillard sharing with Allen his desire to stay with the Blazers and also the goal of building a championship-contending team around the star.

Lillard has lifted the team to the postseason many times since he moved to Portland. The team is now 25-22 and seventh in the Western Conference. The Blazers have not won more than three games in a row at any point this season and have not lost more than five in a row at any point either.

They are one of the league's better defensive teams, but are middling on offense and they don't make many three-pointers. They're 13-14 against the rest of the Western Conference, all of which adds up to an inconsistent season for Portland.

This was the first time Lillard and Allen have spoken in such a capacity. The meeting was described as a productive, open forum to share opinions and express concerns, and it could also lead to more sit-downs in the future, according to ESPN. Enditem