If the Portland Trail Blazers have to rely on one man, its Damian Lillard.
Ever since the 2012 season, the point guard has always been consistent in delivering quality performance for the franchise and has kept his average over 19 points and 5.5 assists.
However, the Tuesday win over New Orleans Pelicans sets a new milestone in Damian Lillard’s NBA career.
The hosts came from behind in the final 43-point quarter to edge out the Pelicans by just one point to a 125-124 win at the Moda Center, and Damian Lillard skyrocketed to the top of the scoreboard of the night, having secured an astounding score of 50, along with 10 assists and 6 rebounds.
Damian Lillard joins the elites club with 16,000 points and 4,000 assists
The stupendous display on the court has earned Lillard a place behind some of the elites to ever grace the game, as the 30-year-old has now registered over 16,000 points and 4,000 assists in the league in his first nine NBA seasons.
The only three other NBA playmakers to ever achieve such a feat are Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird, and LeBron James.
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Coming off from a stunning 30 points and 8 assists per game average from last season, Lillard’s form has been pivotal for Trail Blazers in maintaining a 23-16 record this season, as they currently sit at the sixth position in the Western Conference and are almost ready to overtake the Denver Nuggets above them.
Having donned the Blazers shirt 38 times this season, Lillard has been averaging 30.5 points, which ranks 2nd overall in scoring, putting him just behind the Washington Wizards stalwart Bradley Beal who, despite a lackluster season for his franchise, is leading the league with a staggering 32.3 points per game.
A 2012 first round draft pick out of Weber State, Lillard won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2013, and has been in the NBA All-Star six times, back to back in 2014 and 2015 and has consecutively been an All-Star since 2018, the same year when he was named in the the All-NBA First Team as well.
Alongside Lillard’s 50, Gary Trent Jr posted 22 points off the bench. Pelicans had Brandon Ingram leading them with 30 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, while Zion Williamson added up 28 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. Lonzo Ball landed a double-double with 11 points and 17 assists.
