Damian Lillard Scores 71 Points

Damian Lillard Scores 71 Points and Sets a Record for Most Points Scored in Less Than 40 Minutes
Damian Lillard Scores 71 Points and Sets a Record for Most Points Scored in Less Than 40 Minutes 2023: Damian Lillard has quickly become a household name in the NBA due to his impressive shooting and ability to hit crucial shots. His most recent performance against Houston proved no exception as he set a new career high in points while also being effective throughout.
He tallied 71 points on 13 triples, just one shy of matching Klay Thompson’s single-game record of 72. With this performance, the 32-year-old is the eighth different player this season to score 70 points, and Donovan Mitchell followed suit with 71 on January 2 for the Cavaliers.
1. Total Points
On Sunday, Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard scored a career-high 71 points on 22-38 shooting, including 13-of-22 from 3-point range, to help his team snap a two-game losing streak and secure an impressive 131-114 victory against Houston Rockets. His performance set a franchise record for most points scored in less than 40 minutes.
Lillard, who has scored 60 or more points five times in his career (third behind Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant), was the eighth player this season to hit 70 or more in a game. He joins David Robinson, Elgin Baylor, Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell in that group of scorers.
He shot a league-leading 80.4 percent from the field and made 14 of 14 free throws – an efficiency so impressive that it set an NBA record for most points scored in less than 40 minutes, according to ESPN.
After a week of disappointing performances, Lillard finally delivered on his promise and delivered an incredible game that deserved all the accolades it received. The Blazers beat the Rockets for the first time in over one month and Lillard is now just one point shy of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time NBA scoring record of 38387.
A remarkable performance by an exceptional individual performer, made even more remarkable given that he is only 32 years old. His 71 points scored tied for the fourth highest single game scoring total in NBA history and tied for most ever scored by a player over 30 years old.
This was Lillard’s best game of his career, coming against a Houston team struggling to make a playoff push. The victory gave the Blazers much-needed encouragement and put them sole possession of 11th place in the Western Conference.
2. Rebounds
Lillard’s rebounding percentage is an indicator of his capacity for winning on the glass. In his first two seasons in the NBA, Lillard averaged 8 percent; however, last season that number spiked up to 9.2 percent due to both a higher steal percentage and stronger presence at the defensive glass.
This surge also indicates he’s more likely to win on the glass than other point guards. Additionally, he made his first appearance in the top ten of NBA defensive rebounding percentage.
Another critical metric to watch is win shares, which approximate how many wins a player contributes. Last year, Lillard’s defensive win shares of 3.3 ranked third among point guards in the league; an incredible leap from his 2013 mark of 1.8, plus his 1.2 steals per game marked an even larger improvement.
Finally, Lillard’s shooting numbers are impressive. He shoots 58 percent from inside the arc and 64 percent within three feet of the basket – an incredible feat for a guard. This type of skill set that many players lack has allowed Lillard to be so successful at this point in his career.
He has the ideal teammates to assist him with passing the ball, something many college guards lack. These skillsets have proved instrumental to his success in the NBA and will be invaluable as he takes on a new role with Portland next year. His passing abilities will allow him to capitalize on Aldridge’s shooting prowess while keeping their offense moving forward.
3. Assists
Damian Lillard is one of the NBA’s most dynamic players, capable of scoring huge points quickly. On Sunday against Houston Rockets, he set a new Trail Blazers record with 41 points in one half – setting an NBA record for any player ever in one half.
This season, the 25-year-old is averaging 32.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.2 assists per 36 minutes. Additionally, he’s shooting 47% from the field and 58.2% from behind the arc.
Over his 11-year career, he’s accrued 27,539 minutes and played in 758 games, scoring 19,026 points while starting every game he’s ever started.
He’s currently ranked eighth in the NBA in points per game with 25.1, has been selected to six All-Star games and won the Rookie of the Year award.
After a slow start to the season, he’s producing some of his best stat lines yet. In his last three games, he’s averaged 27 points and seven assists per contest.
The Portland Trail Blazers are in a tight race for playoff positioning in the Western Conference, and they’ll need more performances like Lillard’s on Sunday. He scored 71 points on 22-of-38 shooting over 39 minutes, breaking his own franchise record for made triples in one game.
He’s now the eighth different player in NBA history to reach 70 points in a single game, and the second this season after Cavaliers forward Donovan Mitchell did so in their January 2 win against Chicago. With 15 games of at least 50 points throughout his NBA career, the Blazers can count on his help as they strive for postseason success.
4. Steals
Damian Lillard is a gifted player who has been part of the Portland Trail Blazers since 2012 and has earned numerous accolades throughout his career, such as six NBA All-Star selections and a Rookie of the Year honor.
In addition to his impressive scoring capabilities, he also has the knack for hitting big shots in crunch time – which has enabled him to win numerous games throughout his career. This has earned him the affection of teammates and fans alike by being affectionately known as “Dame Time”.
On Sunday, Curry played one of his greatest games ever against the Houston Rockets, scoring 71 points to set an NBA record for most points scored in less than 40 minutes of play. Additionally, he made 13 3-pointers – another NBA record – as part of an outshooting performance that outshot the Rockets 73-68.
Overall, his career average is 25.1 points per game. Additionally, he grabs 4.2 rebounds and provides 6.6 assists per contest.
He has an impressive 0.8 steals per game this season, which is an improvement over his career average of 0.7. Furthermore, he is an integral part of Portland’s defense which ranks third in the league for defensive efficiency.
These statistics come from the NBA for both regular season and playoff play, broken down by game. While some of these stats may seem obvious like total points, rebounds, assists or steals, others may not be so obvious like steals and blocks. Regardless, these numbers provide an intriguing comparison between generations–making for an interesting comparison between top players of their generation.
5. Blocks
Block percentage is a calculation that estimates the percentage of offensive two-point field goal attempts blocked by a defensive player while they are on court. It’s an invaluable metric when assessing defensive play by basketball players; particularly useful for assessing efficiency as it tells whether they have good control of the ball or not.
Damian Lillard’s blocks percentages this season were remarkable, and it could have been even more impressive had he not missed several chances to score. That being said, this should come as no shock anymore as he continues on a mission to become one of the greatest scorers in NBA history.
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Damian Lillard Game Log
Damian Lillard scored a career-high 71 points on 22-for-38 shooting and 13-of-22 from three in Portland’s 131-114 win over Houston, becoming the eighth player in NBA history to do so. He tied Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell for the most points this season with 70-plus.
He set a franchise record with 41 points at halftime, including eight triples – surpassing Wilt Chamberlain’s previous mark of 40 points.
Points
Last night, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers made a lasting impression on the court against Houston Rockets. He scored a career-high 71 points to lead his team to an incredible 131-114 victory.
In a game filled with several impressive performances, Lillard led the way with 41 points and eight 3-pointers in the first half. He finished with 13 3-pointers and 22-for-38 shooting from the field for an impressive 22-percentage.
Lillard had six rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes, marking his best scoring performance of the year and placing him among elite company.
His 71 points tie Donovan Mitchell for the most points scored in one game this season and puts him alongside Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain for the most points scored by an NBA player since 2003, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
The Blazers’ 131-114 victory brings them to 11-9 on the season and puts them as the third-best record in Western Conference. While they will face a difficult road ahead, this team still makes for an attractive fantasy draft choice and should provide plenty of value for its owners.
Rebounds
Lillard scored a career-high 71 points (22-38 FG, 13-22 3Pt, 14-14 FT) plus six rebounds and six assists across 39 minutes in Sunday’s 131-114 win against the Rockets. He became only the eighth player in NBA history to score 70-plus points in a single game and first age 30 or older to do so.
He set a franchise record with 13 triples, just one shy of equaling Klay Thompson’s mark from last season. Looking fresh after being rested ahead of Thursday night’s loss to Sacramento due to travel complications, it was his first game back since the All-Star break.
In the second quarter, Lillard scorched to 41 points and 8 3-pointers, becoming only the second player in NBA history to score at least 40 points with eight triples in a half (Kobe Bryant in 2003).
But that was only the start for Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard. He continued to hit clutch shots and set new records on the court, scoring 59 points in the third quarter alone to lead Portland to an emphatic 131-114 victory.
At 121-121 in the fourth quarter, Lillard made an and-one dunk to extend the Blazers’ lead to 125-125. He then hit another 3-pointer to put the game out of reach.
Lillard shot 22-of-38 from the field and made a franchise-record 13 three-pointers, along with six rebounds, six assists and two turnovers in 39 minutes. With at least 38 points in four of his last five games and an impressive usage rate of 32.6% this season – likely to rise even higher when backcourt mate Anfernee Simons returns from an ankle injury – Lillard continues to impress on the court.
Assists
Damian Lillard has had a productive first season as the starting point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, posting impressive stats such as 32.3 points, 7.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds while shooting an impressive percentage from both field and three-point range.
On Sunday, Lillard scored 71 points on 22-for-38 shooting to go with six rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes of play against Houston. Additionally, he set a new career high for made three-pointers in one game while breaking the franchise record as well.
He started the game off strong, scoring 41 points with eight made 3-pointers in the first half – second only to Kobe Bryant’s 43-point outburst of 2003, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
After the break, Lillard had an incredible game. He scored 70 points on 23-for-39 shooting to go with eight rebounds and four assists in the Trail Blazers’ 111-97 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.
As time expired, he kept hitting threes to maintain his scoring pace and eventually finished with 13 triples – tied for fifth most in a single game in NBA history, behind only Kobe’s 14 from 2003.
His performance helped the Blazers extend their home winning streak to four games, and he’s now averaging 32 points in eight games. As Anfernee Simons (ankle) remains out indefinitely, this makes him an excellent option for daily fantasy lineups.
He’s a solid pick in standard leagues. His eFG% and assists are impressive, though he struggles to rebound well and shoot well from the free-throw line.
Steals
This season, the man in purple has put up impressive points, averaging over 20 per game and winning more matches than he lost. He has become a fan favorite and an integral figure on both ends of the court – both inside and outside the lane. He is an adept shooter of the long ball, often being the first to score it – leading to some captivating one-on-ones in the paint. Additionally, his defensive rating has been impressively good against a talented Portland frontcourt. He has recorded an impressive 14 blocks, including a career high six against the Wizards. Additionally, Lillard has proven to be quite the shopaholic – collecting over two million dollars worth of merchandise over his six year career. Despite his impressive production, Lillard has only earned one All-Star nod this season; however, he has done his part to make Portland proud in every way possible. A great teammate and leader, Lillard has provided the platform for other Portland greats such as Rudy Gay, CJ McCollum and Zach Collins to shine.
Minutes
Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers has had an outstanding start to this season and it appears his success will continue. Recently, he set a franchise record by scoring 71 points in one game while also hitting 13 3-pointers to go along with it.
Dame is one of the most reliable point guards in the NBA and has proven to be durable since entering the league. A former Weber State University star who was selected sixth overall in 2012, Dame has played over 300 games for the Trail Blazers since then.
He has earned a reputation for being an intense competitor and one of the league’s most reliable point guards. In 2012, he earned himself the Rookie of the Year title and has gone on to appear in three All-Star Games since.
This season, he’s already tied for third in the league in average points per game. Additionally, he is averaging career highs in rebounds and assists. Furthermore, his free throw percentage and player efficiency rating have both reached new highs.
Recently, Damian Lillard scored a career-high 71 points against the Houston Rockets. Additionally, he made 13 3-pointers – tied for his season high – to lead all scorers.
After the game, he underwent drug testing for the first time in his career; thankfully, it came out negative.
On February 2, he scored a team-high 68 points in a win against the Los Angeles Clippers. Additionally, he recorded his second career triple-double with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists during a 125-122 triumph against Golden State Warriors. https://www.youtube.com/embed/i-Ak47agW_o

Damian Lillard Has Scored Over 21 Points in Each of His Last 5 Games
Damian Lillard has been playing some of his best basketball over the last five games, scoring over 21 points in each contest – including a career-high 37 points against Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.
This is an incredible accomplishment for a rookie. It demonstrates his progress and that he belonged in the NBA from day one.
1. Portland Trail Blazers – 103-102 (OT) win over Dallas Mavericks
Damian Lillard had one of his most remarkable games as a Portland player, scoring 71 points (22-38 FG, 13-22 3Pt, 14-14 FT) and pulling down six rebounds over 39 minutes against Houston. This marked Lillard’s fifth 60-point game in the NBA – making him the eighth player to do so and second highest scoring game this season.
Portland’s Lillard hit 22 of 38 shots and made a franchise-record 13 3-pointers to cruise to an impressive 131-114 win over the Rockets. Additionally, he tied his career high with eight assists, setting a new franchise record for a single game performance.
After a slow start in the first quarter, the Blazers took control with an 16-2 run to take a commanding 58-47 lead. In the second quarter alone, they outscored Dallas 42-22 for a 73-63 advantage at halftime.
In the third quarter, Portland led by as many as 14 points before Dallas made a comeback. Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes each hit 3s in the fourth to pull within one point, but Lillard responded with an old-school dunk to secure victory 103-102 in overtime for Portland.
Kiki Vandeweghe hit two 3-pointers in the final 5 seconds of regulation to put Dallas’ playoff hopes in jeopardy. But his teammates and fans cheered him on during overtime when he hit a corner 3 for an epic comeback win.
The Trail Blazers (34-16) have won 12 of their first 17 away from home, but have lost six straight against teams that entered Friday in playoff position. Tuesday’s 103-102 win over Utah and Thursday’s 108-87 demolition of Phoenix prevented a ninth loss for Portland as they move one game ahead of Oklahoma City for the Northwest Division lead with one game to go. Despite these setbacks, expect no issues reaching the postseason this year.
2. Portland Trail Blazers – 105-104 (OT) win over Houston Rockets
Portland trailed by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter before Lillard rallied his teammates with an incredible performance. He finished with 71 points – tied for most in NBA this season – and 13 3-pointers.
With 2.1 seconds left in the game, Lillard had an assist on a layup that set up Karl-Anthony Towns for the game-winning basket. It was his fifth 20 or more point game in five games and first since 1996-97 season to do so in the fourth quarter.
With their win, the Trail Blazers snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 21-31 overall. They remain in 10th place in the Western Conference.
John Wall scored 24 points to lead the Houston Rockets in scoring, but they lost their 20th consecutive game and fell to 8-21. On Sunday they suffered another setback after falling short to Oklahoma City Thunder 114-112 when Wall missed two shots in the final 10 seconds of regulation time.
The Rockets entered this game with the worst record in the NBA, having lost 10 of their last 11 games. Furthermore, they were without guards Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr.
They were held to a season low of just 19 percent shooting from beyond the arc and made just 17 of 27 shots at the free-throw line. Furthermore, they had 18 turnovers – also a season low.
With 6:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, Lillard hit a three-pointer to give Portland its first lead of the game. He followed that up with four consecutive 3s to help the Blazers pull away from Houston and add an assist on LaMarcus Aldridge’s layup to send Portland to the free-throw line for good.
3. Portland Trail Blazers – 107-105 (OT) win over Memphis Grizzlies
On Sunday night, Damian Lillard had yet another outstanding performance and set a franchise record for made 3-pointers in one game. Additionally, he set a new career high with 71 points in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 107-105 overtime victory against Memphis Grizzlies.
The win gave the Blazers renewed hope of making the playoffs and ended a two-game losing streak that dropped them out of an elite group of Western Conference teams vying for playoff spots. To control turnovers, stay focused, get strong bench play and leverage Jusuf Nurkic’s presence, the Blazers utilized all four corners to their advantage.
Lillard has scored 39.5 points and handed out 7.7 assists per game this season, tied for fifth in the NBA. His 1.15 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks third among point guards.
He has the opportunity to break the NBA’s all-time single game 3-point record this week against the Milwaukee Bucks, but he may need some assistance from his teammates. Anfernee Simons – the Blazers’ second leading scorer – is out indefinitely due to an ankle injury.
The Blazers shot just two percent worse from three-point range in the second half than they had done in the first, which allowed them to hold off Memphis’ comeback efforts and secure a victory. Their defense also held Memphis to 24 percent shooting from beyond the arc as well.
With the Blazers striving for a top-four spot in the Western Conference, they must stay motivated. Teams like Houston are not easy to beat, but if they keep playing like they did against Memphis, they could take advantage of their remaining schedule and make the playoffs.
4. Portland Trail Blazers – 107-104 (OT) win over Sacramento Kings
On Friday night, Portland Trail Blazers capitalized on Sacramento Kings’ lack of scoring depth. Although De’Aaron Fox was out due to personal reasons, this wasn’t just any old garbage-time special.
With seven seconds remaining, the Kings had the ball and were down by three points after Harrison Barnes’ 3-pointer. Coach Mike Brown instead chose not to call a timeout, opting instead for an exciting play that ended with Harrison Barnes trying his luck with a last-second 3 with his hand in his face but missing.
Sacramento (29-22) managed to stay in the game despite a late-game slump. Kevin Huerter scored 16 points and Terence Davis added 15 as the Kings shot an impressive 34% from deep.
Indiana (29-22) shot 50% from deep in the first half, taking a 19-point advantage into the third quarter. Pacers center Tyrese Haliburton came off the bench and registered a double-double with 10 points and nine assists.
Sacramento’s offense didn’t click until De’Aaron Fox returned. His 32 and 31 points respectively in their recent victories over Minnesota and San Antonio proved crucial, as Sacramento struggled to score without him.
Sacramento’s struggled shooting has cost them dearly so far on this seven-game road trip. Their average scoring has dropped off drastically, to 119.5, which is only half their season average. On Tuesday night, they’ll look to improve against a New Orleans Pelicans team still searching for its identity.
5. Portland Trail Blazers – 131-114 (OT) win over Houston Rockets
After a strong first half in the Blazers’ 131-114 (OT) win against Houston Rockets, Damian Lillard went off in the third quarter and finished with a career-high 71 points. He shot 22-of-38 from the field and made 13 3-pointers while dishing out six assists and grabbing six rebounds across 39 minutes of action.
Lillard entered the half with 41 points after sinking eight 3-pointers in two quarters, tying for the most made three-pointers by any player in NBA history. He added 25 points in nine minutes of play during the second quarter to become only the second person ever to score at least 40 points with eight 3-pointers in one half – joining Kobe Bryant (2003).
His 13 3-pointers fell just one shy of matching Klay Thompson’s single-game 3-point record set last season, but it was nonetheless an impressive display from the seven-time All-Star.
Jerami Grant had a solid game for the Rockets, but couldn’t stop Lillard from scoring in the fourth quarter as his 71 points propelled Portland to their fifth win in five games. Now 29-31 on the season and part of an elite Western Conference group that sits just four wins apart for playoff spots, Lillard led all scorers with his performance.
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