Jubilation, anguish as race for NBA’s Western 8th seed gets as close as ever

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — He had just finished scoring 61 points in a needed win for his Trail Blazers. But Damian Lillard wasn’t done. He puffed out his chest and shouted toward press row, “Put some (expletive) respect on my name!” Of course, the people actually present for Lillard’s performance probably didn’t need any more telling. The NBA restart has been as colorful and compelling as could have been imagined, and that’s thanks much in part to a riveting race for the Western Conference eighth-place spot against the Lakers in the postseason. By virtue of a 134-131 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, Portland now has a narrow lead on the field. With a win on...