Damian Lillard had no idea that he had achieved a unique and decorated milestone when he notched up an efficient 60-point game against the Utah Jazz.
The icing on the cake was Portland winning the contest 134-124 as Lillard had the night of his life, as he took just 29 attempts and 10 free throw attempts to hit that number.
Only two other players, Karl Malone with 26 attempts in 1990 and James Harden with 24 in 2019 had reached 60 points, but they recorded a major portion of their points by taking 23 free throws each.
The other player to score 60 was Rick Barry in 1974, who had less than 10 free throw tries, and Lillard posted the highest true shooting percentage. And in true Lillard fashion, he was oblivious to the feat he achieved.
Speaking to the media, the guard could only muster up a humble reply when he was told of his performance and the records he set. Per ESPN:
“It’s the most efficient 60-point game ever, for real? That’s crazy. I didn’t know that. I’m just sitting here thinking I had a shot at the end of the shot clock from half court toward the end that I shot. It probably would have been a little bit better. I missed a free throw. Damn.”
Trust Lillard to stay calm and have a quiet smile despite his brilliant milestone. He also became the fifth player in NBA history to score 60 points at least four times, joining Wilt Chamberlain (32), Kobe Bryant (6), James Harden (4), and Michael Jordan (4).
When told, there was another simple message:
“I ain’t catching Wilt,” Lillard said. “That’s out. Dang, that’s cool.”
Whether he catches Chamberlain or not, Lillard is now part of an elite list of achievers.
Trail Blazers Coach Chauncey Billups Lavishes Praise On Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was stunned when he saw Lillard do what he did and was lavish in praise of his player.
Lillard notched 17 points in the second quarter and was already at 30 before he went hot late in the third quarter. On his part, his coach was thrilled.
“That was incredible, man. You don’t get to see that very often, to be that efficient. For a guy to score 60 points and only 10 free throws and make nine of them, you’re thinking either this dude has an absurd amount of 3s. It was just incredible how efficient he was.”
He also added that he was about to get Lillard to call it a night, but his teammates were keen on seeing him in action again. That bit of convincing was enough for Billups to get his star back in the game, and the rest is history.
Lillard and the Blazers are still far from a playoff spot with a 23-25 record, but given the kind of streak he’s in, the team will bank on him to push them to the postseason.
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