Blazers’ Damian Lillard Drops Career-Best 71 Points

Portlant Trail Blazers superstar guard Damian Lillard connected on an astounding 13 three-pointers on route to scoring a career-high 71 points to fuel the Blazers to a 131-114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

Lillard, 32, became the eighth different player to score 70 points in NBA history, the oldest player in NBA history with a 70-point game, and the only player age 30 or older to accomplish the feat, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

“I enjoy those moments in the game when I’m just going after people,” Lillard said (h/t ESPN), “when I’m in attack mode.”

Lillard’s 13 3-pointers on 22 attempts were one shy of the NBA record set by Golden State Warriors’ guard Klay Thompson back in 2018, and tied the likes of Warriors guard Stephen Curry (2016) and Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (2019), who each also also made 13 3s.

“It really, really was a masterful performance,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “It was a piece of art. That was incredible.”

“I think any hooper enjoys those moments when you’re hot, you’re in attack mode, you’re feeling good,” Lillard said. “But it’s the stuff afterward that I struggle with, like when I walked off the court, was I supposed to be overly excited, or what?”