With the Trailblazers on the brink of a shock first round playoff exit to the Pelicans, they'll be turning to their All Star PG Damian Lillard for answers in a win-out situation. The third seeded 'Blazers go into New Orleans on Saturday night knowing defeat will mean the end of a promising season and after three one-sided losses, one would have to back Anthony Davis and New Orleans to get the job done. Lillard, off the back off his best season in the NBA, has struggled mightily all series. The three-time All Star is shooting a lowly 32.7% from the field and has failed to post a 20-plus point game so far this postseason. For context, the 27-year-old averaged 26.9 points per game on 43.9% shooting over the duration of the regular season. It seems as though he knows why he's not been able to put up his usual numbers though, and it's all down to the Pelicans' unusual defense. 

Lillard said he's never faced defensive coverage like the Pelicans are showing him in this series, and it's obvious that it's frustrating him. 

“There were times when I come off and once the guard caught up, the big would leave,” Lillard said referring to how other teams have defended him on pick and rolls. “This is probably the first time where the big is just staying and the other guy is coming and they’re making me give the ball up.

“… I think this is a different coverage than I’ve seen in any point in my career. It’s two and three layers of defense.” he said per Andrew Greif of The Oregonian.

Aside from having bigs in his face, Lillard and his fellow backcourt star CJ McCollum have been thoroughly out-dueled in their matchup with New Orleans duo Rajon Rondo and Jrue Holiday on both ends of the court. 

'Playoff Rondo' has shown up in full force averaging 12.7 points, 12.3 assists and 7.7 boards so far in a stellar series, forcing one to remember his previous exploits with the championship winning Celtics team of 2008. 

Holiday is clearly playing with a chip on his shoulder and is successfully forcing his way into conversation as one of the top two-way guards in the league with a sensational series so far. The 27-year-old is flourishing as a two-guard, putting up 23.3 points per game on 53.4% shooting, as well as six dimes and nearly two steals. 

Speaking after their 119-102 loss in game three, McCollum said: "They whooped our (butts) and beat us in every facet of the game,". 

The Pelicans seem to have Lillard's the 'Blazers' numbers, and frankly it would be a shock should the series extend past game four.