Damian Lillard placed on a memorable present and established profession highs of 71 factors and 13 3-pointers to guide the Portland Trail Blazers to a 131-114 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Sunday evening.
The 71 factors tie for eighth most in NBA historical past. Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers additionally scored 71 earlier this season.
Only Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain (5 occasions, excessive of 100), Kobe Bryant (81) and David Thompson (73) have scored extra factors in an NBA recreation.
“I feel like I got to be aggressive and try to do what I can to make sure we get some wins. That was the case tonight. I wanted to be in attack mode. I got it going and I just stayed aggressive,” Lillard stated after the sport.
It marks the fifth time in his profession that Lillard has reached the 60-point mark. Only Chamberlain (32 occasions) and Bryant (six) have executed it extra.
Lillard surpassed his personal franchise file for factors and likewise set a franchise file with 41 first-half factors. The 13 treys tie for second in NBA historical past with Stephen Curry and Zach LaVine, one behind Klay Thompson’s NBA file.
After his massive first half, Lillard stated the Rockets “came out and gave me a lot of attention, and I just wanted to be patient. I didn’t want to come out and get right back on the heater. So I kept making the right plays. … It softened them up and I was able to get another run going again and it turned back into what it was in the first half.”
Lillard completed 22-of-38 capturing — making 13 of twenty-two from 3-point vary — and hit all 14 free-throw makes an attempt. Lillard additionally had six rebounds and 6 assists.
Alperen Sengun had 17 factors and 10 rebounds and Jae’Sean Tate additionally scored 17 factors for Houston, which has misplaced 9 straight video games and 29 of its final 33. Daishen Nix scored 16 factors, Tari Eason had 15 factors and 10 rebounds and Kenyon Martin Jr. scored 14 factors.
Houston trailed by 23 halfway via the third quarter however rallied to inside 108-103 on Eason’s basket with 7:45 remaining within the recreation.
But the Trail Blazers scored the following 10 factors, beginning when Drew Eubanks scored on a put-back.
Lillard then buried a 3-pointer and transformed a three-point play with a ferocious dunk and a free throw to offer Portland a 116-103 benefit with 6:20 remaining. Lillard then made two free throws with 5:48 left to succeed in his earlier profession excessive of 61, completed twice.
Lillard then swished a straightaway 3-pointer for his twelfth trey to set new profession highs for factors and 3-pointers with 4:43 to play.
Lillard went over 70 when he hit a floater with 1:42 left to cap a 21-point fourth quarter. He exited with 44.5 seconds to go.
Jerami Grant added 13 factors and Nassir Little scored 11 for Portland, which related on 54.5 p.c of its subject purpose makes an attempt and was 20 of 39 from 3-point vary.
The Rockets hit 45 p.c of their makes an attempt and made 7 of 26 from behind the arc.
Lillard was 13 of 19 from the sphere — together with 8 of 11 from 3-point vary — and made all seven of his free throws in his 41-point first half.
He scored 16 factors within the opening quarter when the Trail Blazers led 32-31. Lillard scored 25 factors within the second quarter when he knocked down 5 extra 3-pointers. The Trail Blazers led 73-58 on the break.
The Trail Blazers led 92-69 after Lillard buried a 3-pointer with 5:21 remaining within the third earlier than Houston completed the stanza sturdy to path 102-88 coming into the ultimate interval.
—Field Level Media/Reuters
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
