Damien Lillard Breaks Playoff Three Record in Narrow Loss
An all-time great NBA playoff performance from Damien Lillard wasn’t enough for the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.
Damien Lillard set a playoff record for three pointers with 12 and finished with 55 points against the Denver Nuggets.
However, the Denver Nuggets ultimately prevailed 147 – 140 in the second over time. As a result, Denver has a 3 – 2 lead in the series heading into Game 6.
The previous playoff record of 11 three pointers was set by Klay Thompson in 2016. Damien Lillard shot 17-of-24 from the field and 12-of-17 from range in 52 minutes.
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It would only have taken a little bit more from one of Lillard’s teammates to make his monumental effort worthwhile. As well as the three point record, the 80 points he scored or assisted is tied for the most ever in a playoff game. His 55 points are the third most points ever in a postseason defeat.
“It don’t matter. We lost the game,” Lillard said.Â
“At this point all that matters is we can’t lose another game in the series. We go out there and we play to win the game, and we came up short.
“Tough loss, man,” Lillard added. “It’s do or die now.”
Portland’s other four starters all finished in double figures. However down the stretch, nobody else was able to step up to help Lillard.
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“The degree of difficulty on which he hit some of those shots is god-like,” CJ McCollum said. “To be able to create space and shoot from so far out contested time after time. It’s a shame we wasted one of the all-time performances by not being more supportive for him.”
“It was the best playoff performance I’ve ever seen,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “He gave it his all.”
