WATCH: Blazers' Lillard talks NBA Finals, 'small ball'; bares Rio plans

MANILA, Philippines — For fans and spectators, a lot of layers come into play with Cleveland’s gutsy win over the Golden State earlier today in the NBA Finals.

But for an NBA cager — one who has locked horns with both teams and their respective superstars — the Cavaliers’ feat was simply getting the job done.

And he meant that in all ways as a compliment.

Portland Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard said LeBron James and his crew "did what they had to do” in Game 5 of their Finals with Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

"Anytime you get that performance from LeBron and Kyrie [Irving], I think nine times out of 10, Cleveland’s gonna win,” he told the members of the press in a chat Tuesday noon at Shangri-La in Bonifacio Global City.

Lillard, who is in town for adidas’ "Take On Summer” tour, is set for a skills show at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City Tuesday afternoon.

Watch the former Rookie of the Year and 2016 NBA Playoff quarterfinalist talk about the Finals and his Rio Olympic plans, and dissect “small ball” basketball in this video by PhilStar.com’s Efigenio Toledo IV: