Damian Lillard Puts Up 71
Damian Lillard had an incredible first half in the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets on Sunday. He scored 41 points in just 19 minutes, including eight three-pointers, and the crowd at the Moda Center went wild. Lillard tied with Kyrie Irving for the third-highest scoring half in NBA history, and only two other players have scored more points in a half. At the end of the game, Lillard racked up 71 points, tieing Donovan Mitchel’s NBA season-high from earlier in the season.
"This is the 13th time between 1960 and today, a 63-year span, that a player has exceeded 70 points. Only Mitchell (34) exceeded 70 with fewer shot attempts than Lillard’s 38."
Some fun statistical context on how rare Lillard's night was from @DaveDeckardhttps://t.co/xQWspGNQVZ
— Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) February 27, 2023
Lillard has been playing great all season, averaging 31.4 points per game and shooting well beyond the arc. He’s been one of the few bright spots for the Blazers, who are having a tough season and currently rank 12th in the Western Conference. But with Lillard leading the team, they still have a chance to make the playoffs. He also won the NBA 3-Point contest in Salt Lake City.
