Damian Lillard's unprecedented 71-point performance a franchise record for Portland Trail Blazers 

Damian Lillard had a few opportunities to raise his total in the last minutes, but he was too exhausted in the game's dying seconds.

Damian Lillard in a file photo (Image credits: Twitter/Rob Perez)
By Niranjan Shivalkar | Feb 27, 2023 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Damian Lillard scored 71 points in Sunday’s 131-114 victory over the Houston Rockets to become the seventh player in NBA history to reach that mark in a single game. The display is the most recent in a streak of standout efforts from the Blazers guard. In his previous 18 games, he had averaged 37.6 points going into the contest on Sunday. That sum has since increased. Lillard started the run with 50 points in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he hit 60 points in a victory against the Utah Jazz in late January. He surpassed his previous career high of 71 points while leading the Blazers to an important victory over the Rockets. 

Lillard had a few opportunities to raise his total in the last minutes, but he was too exhausted and waved off looks from his teammates in the game’s dying seconds. With 44.1 seconds left in the game, he left the field to a standing ovation from his Portland supporters. 

Coming in after a break 

Lillard played in his first game following the All-Star break. Given that it had been nine days since his last game, it was a little confusing when he was given a rest classification and told to sit out Thursday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. Due to a trip delay, it was decided to bench Lillard. The Blazers were delayed by a snowfall in Portland for seven hours on Wednesday before finally taking out for home and their Thursday trip to Sacramento. The Blazers fell short to the Kings by 17 points without Lillard. But in the end, it would be difficult to criticize the outcomes. As a springboard for one of the greatest individual performances in NBA history, Lillard used his rest night.

Scoring high 

Only Lillard has ever scored 70 points and made at least 10 three-pointers in a single game in NBA history. He was already the only NBA player in history to reach 60 points and at least 10 three-pointers made. In a single season, 60 points or more have been scored by four players in NBA history. Lillard, James Harden, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan are those athletes. Here’s the problem: Only Bryant (2005–06, 2006–07) and Lillard (2022-23, 2019–20) have accomplished that accomplishment twice. 

Six-highest scoring individual games in NBA history

Lillard currently has six of the NBA’s top-scoring individual games. This includes the 71 points scored tonight, two performances of 61 points, two of 60 points, and one of 59 points. Damon Stoudamire set the non-Lillard Blazers single-game scoring record in 2005 with 54 points. In an NBA season, just three players have ever had distinct games with at least 50, 60, and 70 points. Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, and Damian Lillard are among such athletes.

13, 3-pointers

Lillard made thirteen 3-pointers in Sunday’s victory. He missed Klay Thompson’s NBA record of 14 3-pointers by just one. With 1:14 left in the fourth quarter, Lillard shot a 3-pointer that would have tied the record but missed. During his final possession of the game, his teammates urged him to take another chance, but he appeared to decline out of tiredness.