Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard set the NBA on fire Sunday night with 71 points in a victory over the Rockets.
It was the fifth 60-point game of Lillard's career, placing him behind only Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant on the all-time list, and he joined another exclusive club by becoming the eighth player in NBA history to score at least 70 points in a game.
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While the NBA had seen this kind of performance once already this year, from the Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell, Lillard's was a rare kind of dominance. His 71 points are tied with Mitchell for the highest single-game total since Bryant's 81 points in 2006.
The rest of the NBA world reacted accordingly.
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What time is it? LeBron James knows.
⌚️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 27, 2023
Mitchell and his mother are ready to one-up Lillard.
My mom calls me and says @Dame_Lillard tied your record… you gotta get 72 now😂😂😂
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) February 27, 2023
Josh Hart showed some love to his former teammate.
DOLLA 🤯🤯
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) February 27, 2023
Lillard's coach, Chauncey Billups, called his performance "a piece of art."
“It’s so great b/c of the efficiency. Dame is always so poised. Even when he had his career high he still didn’t force. I thought it was a piece of art…it was a masterful performance.” -Billups on Lillard’s performance pic.twitter.com/QAl3IF8nLL
— Danny Marang (@DannyMarang) February 27, 2023
Kendrick Perkins summed it up: "Beyond SPECAL!!!!"
That 71 piece wing dinner Spicy “All Drumsticks” that Dame Dolla dropped tonight with the W was beyond SPECIAL!!!! Carry the hell on…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) February 27, 2023
Some love from Kevin Garnett:
That shyt Dame doin in Portland ain’t normal. 41 at the half and ain’t broke a sweat 💯
— Kevin Garnett (@KevinGarnett5KG) February 27, 2023
Lou Williams says Lillard should give the people what they want.
If I’m Dolla I’m dropping a new record tonight 😂😂 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾
— Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) February 27, 2023
Plenty of other minds blown across the NBA . . .
Wow…. @Dame_Lillard
— Zach LaVine (@ZachLaVine) February 27, 2023
71 @Dame_Lillard ! Whole lot of 🪣’s
— Delon Wright (@delonwright) February 27, 2023
71 OF THEM THANGSSSS!!! 😭😭🤦🏾♂️
— Trendon Watford (@trendonw) February 27, 2023
And, of course, the signature "71" photo for Lillard.
LEGENDARY. #RipCity pic.twitter.com/BaYNtlqSMK
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) February 27, 2023
Lillard shot 22 for 38 from the field, 13 for 22 on 3-pointers, and 14 for 14 from the line. He scored 41 points in the first half.
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For good measure, he became the 64th player in NBA history to reach 19,000 career points.
Lillard is averaging 32.3 points per game this season, easily a career high.
