Damian Lillard on Tuesday delivered a 50-point performance and led a remarkable fourth-quarter comeback as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 125-124.
Lillard racked up six three-pointers and made 13 of 20 from the field with six rebounds and 10 assists to give the Trail Blazers an improbable victory at Portland’s Moda Center Arena.
The Pelicans looked to be cruising to victory after surging into a 17-point lead with six minutes remaining, up 115-98 thanks to big performances from Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
Photo: Soobum Im-USA TODAY
However, Lillard seized control of the contest down the stretch, rattling off 15 points in a 25-7 run for the Trail Blazers, including two ice-cold free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining to seal the Portland comeback.
“In the huddles, we just kept telling each other that we were the more experienced team, and these are the kind of games we’re capable of winning,” Lillard told reporters afterward. “We just stayed the course and showed a lot of resilience.”
“When it seemed it was getting worse, I felt our communication and our trust in each other just kept building,” he added.
Lillard’s masterpiece leaves the Trail Blazers in sixth place in the Western Conference standings.
The Trail Blazers marksman was backed with 22 points from Gary Trent Jr, while Derrick Jones Sr, Enes Kanter and C.J. McCollum had 10 apiece.
The Pelicans scoring was led by Ingram (30 points) and Williamson (28 points).
Also on Tuesday, it was:
‧ Lakers 137, Timberwolves 121
‧ Jazz 117, Celtics 109
‧ Bulls 123, Thunder 102
‧ Hawks 119, Rockets 107
‧ Heat 113, Cavaliers 98
‧ 76ers 99, Knicks 96
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