Watch: Trail Blazers fans give Damian Lillard standing ovation in return to Portland

Lillard's reception was unsurprising and well-deserved. Over 11 seasons with the franchise, he earned seven All-NBA and All-Star selections before ultimately leaving as the team's all-time leading scorer. 

Ahead of his first trip back to Portland, Lillard said he was playing "free" thanks to the opportunity given to him by the Trail Blazers. 

"The reason it all came about in the first place was for a chance to win it all. We couldn't be at that place at the same time," Lillard told Anne M. Peterson of the Associated Press. "So I come back with love and I'm excited to be back in the Moda Center." 

Even though the Bucks recently fired head coach Adrian Griffin, replacing him with veteran Doc Rivers, Lillard is still in a tremendous position to succeed. Entering play Wednesday, Milwaukee (32-15) held the second-best mark in the Eastern Conference, behind only the Boston Celtics (37-11).