Exactly one week ago, Damian Lillard hit the game-winning three-pointer for Team Giannis in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game against Team LeBron in Salt Lake City, Utah. This Sunday, the star point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers achieved an even more memorable feat during their 131-114 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Lillard surpassed his personal and Blazers franchise record and tied the highest total points in a game this season by scoring 71 points in a game where he was just one three-pointer away from tying the NBA record for most three-pointers in a single game.
The perspective on Damian Lillard’s magical night
The 71 points is the eighth highest total points in a game in NBA history, matching what Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers achieved on January 2 in a game against the Chicago Bulls. In addition to Lillard and Mitchell, David Robinson and Elgin Baylor also scored 71 points and are only surpassed by Wilt Chamberlain (100, 78, 73, 73, 72), Kobe Bryant (81), and David Thompson (73).
Lillard’s previous personal and franchise record was 61 points, which he achieved twice on January 20 and August 11, 2020, in games against the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks, respectively.
Damian Lillard one three-pointer away from tying Klay Thompson
This is Lillard’s tenth game of at least 50 points, and he now holds the top six scoring records in Blazers history and 10 of the top 13. Additionally, at 32 years old, he is the oldest player in NBA history to score at least 70 points in a game.
In this game, the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft by Portland from Weber State, scored his 71 points with 13 three-pointers, one less than Klay Thompson‘s 14 with the Golden State Warriors on October 29, 2018, and the same amount (13) as Zach LaVine‘s on November 23, 2019, with the Chicago Bulls.
