All-Star guard Damian Lillard scored a career-high 71 points on Sunday, including 41 in an astonishing first-half outburst, leading the host Trail Blazers to a 131-114 win (box score) over the young and rebuilding Rockets. Houston (13-47) continues to hold the NBA’s worst record and has now lost nine straight games.
In his historic game, Lillard connected on 22-of-38 shots (57.9%), 13-of-22 from 3-point range (59.1%), and went 14-of-14 on free throws. His total of 62 points was the most by any player in Trail Blazers history and the most by any player against the Rockets in team history.
The Rockets were again without usual starting guards Kevin Porter Jr. (left foot contusion) and Jalen Green (left groin strain).
Among Houston players who did play, key performances were:
- Alperen Sengun: 17 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists; 8-of 16 shooting (50.0%)
- Daishen Nix: 16 points (career high), 2 assists; 7-of-19 shooting (36.8%), 2-of-7 on 3-pointers (28.7%)
- Tari Eason: 15 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists; 6-of-12 shooting (50.0%), 1-of-1 on 3-pointers
- KJ Martin: 14 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists; 5-of-10 shooting (50.0%)
- Jae’Sean Tate: 16 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds; 7-of-11 shooting (63.6%)
- Boban Marjanovic: 10 points, 3 rebounds in 6 minutes; 4-of-5 shooting (80.0%)
Scroll on for highlights, analysis, and postgame interview reaction. Next up for Houston, starting Tuesday, is a tough back-to-back at home versus Denver and Memphis — currently the top-two seeds in the Western Conference. Both tipoffs are at 7 p.m. Central.
Highlights
Analysis and Interviews
71 points and 13 3-pointers in 39 minutes for @Dame_Lillard Vs Rockets. https://t.co/9ruZ6CFnSf
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 27, 2023
DAMIAN. FREAKING. LILLARD. ⌚️
71 PTS (Career-high)
22/38 FG
13/22 3PT
6 REB
6 AST@Dame_Lillard (via @trailblazers) pic.twitter.com/EMvzkBF1Vm— Overtime (@overtime) February 27, 2023
Damian Lillard in Portland's win over Houston tonight: 71 points – becoming the eighth player in NBA history to score 70 or more in a game.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 27, 2023
Tonight, Sengun was pulled with 5:00 left in the third quarter and did not return the rest of the game. Again. https://t.co/yLQMNqOGUs
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) February 27, 2023
Houston throwing the kitchen sink at Dame. Probably should have done it three quarters ago.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) February 27, 2023
Benching Alperen Sengun in back-to-back games because he's a "defensive liability" and still getting cooked on defense is certainly a choice.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) February 27, 2023
Dame exits with 44 seconds left. 71 points. 13 threes, a new franchise record.
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) February 27, 2023
#Blazers Damian Lillard became the 7th player in NBA history to score 71 or more pts in a game. (Wilt, E. Baylor, D. Robinson, D. Mitchell, D. Thompson, K. Bryant, Lillard). Portland beats Houston 131-114. Lillard 71 pts on 22-38 FG, 13-22 3ptFG, 14-14 FT.
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) February 27, 2023
71 PTS, 13 3PM, 6 REB, 6 AST…
Damian Lillard, everyone 👏 pic.twitter.com/3bHwHXEonI
— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2023
Lillard looked like he was going for it from the first minute. But when Rockets closed to within five in the fourth quarter, he returned, scored 21 in the final 10 minutes. https://t.co/kC8NsMK4RV
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) February 27, 2023
Most points in a game in @Trailblazers history:
71 – Damian Lillard
61 – Damian Lillard
61 – Damian Lillard
60 – Damian Lillard
60 – Damian Lillard
59 – Damian Lillard#NBA | #RipCity pic.twitter.com/IOaK4xG1yy— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) February 27, 2023
74 points on 83.8 TS% pic.twitter.com/iOIGz2CBDZ
— nbaayy (@nbaayy) February 27, 2023
against #rockets this year:
dame 71 (career high)
luka 50
ja morant 49 (season high)
lauri markkanen 49 (career high)
lebron 48 (season high)
ant edwards 44 (season high)
trae young 44 (season high)
shai gilgeous-alexander 42
klay thompson 42
tyler herro 41 (career high)— Fastbreak Breakfast (@fastbreakbreak) February 27, 2023
Silas also said he benched Alperen Sengun at the end of the game because of Sengun’s defense. “Yes. They went at him in pick-and-roll. Every single one.”
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) February 27, 2023
"Come on, Alpi!" Jabari Smith Jr yelled after Sengun didn't come over to help on Portland's first basket of the game pic.twitter.com/jyEgOcIuOe
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) February 27, 2023
Alperen Sengun said he knows he isn’t playing at the end of games because of his defense. “I just need to be focused on pick-and-roll defense, I think. I can do better job.”
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) February 27, 2023
So like: Dame hammered them in ball-screens. Sengun struggled on D. After Silas took him out, it went from a 20-pt to 8-pt deficit in next 7 minutes.
But Dame was out for a big part of that run, and you can't claim ball-screen defense then put in Boban for Sengun's next rotation https://t.co/gizupuJIsc
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) February 27, 2023
