Damian Lillard pours in 71 points as Trail Blazers put away Rockets

Damian Lillard put on a memorable performance and set career highs with 71 points and 13 3-pointers to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 131-114 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

71 points tied for eighth most in NBA history. Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers also scored 71 earlier this season.

Only Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain (five times, career high 100), Kobe Bryant (81) and David Thompson (73) have scored more points in an NBA game.

“I think I have to be aggressive and try to do what I can to make sure we win. That’s what happened tonight. I wanted to be in attack mode. I got it and I stayed aggressive,” Lillard said after the game.

This marks the fifth time in his career that Lillard has reached 60 points. Only Chamberlain (32 times) and Bryant (six) have done more.

Lillard surpassed his own franchise record for points and also set a franchise record with 41 points in the first half. 13 treys tied for second in NBA history with Stephen Curry and Zach LaVine, one behind Klay Thompson’s NBA record.

2nd most 3PM in a game in NBA history (13)
8th player to score 70+ PTS in a single game (71)
First player in NBA history with 70+ PTS, 5+ REB, 5+ AST and 10+ 3PM in a single game…

What a night for Damian Lillard 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8MMHxePNUu

— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2023

After a big first half, Lillard said the Rockets “came out and paid a lot of attention, and I just wanted to be patient. I didn’t want to come out and go right back to the heater. So I just kept making the right plays. … They got weak and I was able to run again and return again in the first half.

Lillard finished 22-of-38 shooting – making 13 of 22 from 3-point range – and hit all 14 free-throw attempts. Lillard also had six rebounds and six assists.

Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Jae’Sean Tate also scored 17 points for Houston, which has lost nine straight and 29 of its last 33 games. Daishen Nix scored 16 points, Tari Eason had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Kenyon Martin. Jr. scored 14 points.

Houston trailed by 23 midway through the third quarter but rallied to within 108-103 on Eason’s basket with 7:45 left in the game.

But the Trail Blazers scored the next 10 points, starting when Drew Eubanks scored on a put-back.

Lillard then buried a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play with a vicious dunk and free throw to give Portland a 116-103 advantage with 6:20 remaining. Lillard then made two free throws with 5:48 left to reach his career high of 61, finishing second.

Lillard then hit a straight 3-pointer for his 12th trey to set a new career high for points and a 3-pointer with 4:43 to play.

“I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Coach Billups reflects on Damian Lillard’s historic 71-PT performance. pic.twitter.com/adfOlpf2XK

— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2023

Lillard surpassed 70 when he hit a floater with 1:42 left to close the fourth quarter with 21 points. He exited with 44.5 seconds to go.

Jerami Grant added 13 points and Nassir Little scored 11 for Portland, which connected on 54.5 percent of its field goal attempts and was 20 of 39 from 3-point range.

The Rockets hit 45 percent of their attempts and made 7 of 26 from behind the arc.

Lillard was 13 of 19 from the field – including 8 of 11 from 3-point range – and made all seven of his free throws in the 41-point first half.

He scored 16 points in the opening quarter as the Trail Blazers took a 32-31 lead. Lillard scored 25 points in the second quarter while hitting five more threes. The Trail Blazers led 73-58 at the break.

The Trail Blazers led 92-69 after Lillard buried a 3-pointer with 5:21 left in the third before Houston finished the stanza strong to trail 102-88 entering the final period.

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