Lillard didnt take his first shot of the second half until 8:42 left in the third. We gotta go out there and back against the wall every night.. The team has not yet made a decision on when Lillard will return to the court. Follow Jason on Twitter @jwquick, Lillard planted seeds throughout the team that its urgency needed to rise, he learned to shoot in his grandmothers yard, Damian Lillard went from milk-crate hoops to Dame Time: Im just a believer, Ive always said I wanted to be the best. "We had a great start, a great first half. This team is a special team and I told them that they could do special things if they stuck together, and we made it to the semifinals, Watkins said. He understood what they were going to come out and do. The Trail Blazers vs. the Rockets wasnt a game many had marked on their calendar, as Houston is all but eliminated with a 13-47 record thus far while Portland has flirted with a .500 record all season. In a performance that coach Chauncey Billups called a piece of art, Lillard scored a franchise-record 71 points, which included a Blazers-record 13 3-pointers, to help Portland beat Houston 131-114. We dont get the chance to experience things like this a lot, said Billups, who had a storied 17-year NBA career. PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 26: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at the Moda Center on February 26, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. (But) I knew right from wrong because of my foundation. High School: Oakland High School [Oakland, California] Lillards efforts helped him be named the first player in Big Sky history to go All-American. Jerami Grant scored 13 points and Nassir Little came off the bench for 11. Anthony Davis, who had missed the previous two games due to injury, scored 28 points in his return to the lineup for the Lakers. So, Lillard backed off from scoring. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. He played in 103 games, starting 98 of them. More recently, Lillard has gone back to his roots, raising money to improve his alma maters gym, music facilities and a new weight room. But the name wasnt Damian Lillard. Damian Lillard High School Career. The first of Williams five second-half free throws was all the Wildcats could score for the first portion of the third quarter while Bullard flipped the game on an 11-2 run. The Brookfield Rec offers two meeting rooms large enough for quinceaeras. In middle school, he got online to discover what all his teammates were talking about: an Oakland kid had made a national list of ranked players. Damian Lillard is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). I can remember back in seventh grade when I really started to care about when I won or lost and if somebody was better than me, Lillard says. Damian Lillard played only 29 games due to a strained abdominal muscle that required surgery in his final season. 15 Sacred Heart Prep shocks Folsom, The Kings Academy survives Ygnacio Valley run, advances to NorCal D-III quarterfinals. Lillards 3, his 11th of the night to tie his career high, made it 113-103 with 6:43 left. Aaron Fentress | The Oregonian/OregonLive, third all time behind Kobe Bryant (five) and Wilt Chamberlain (32), Lillards 71 points is only the 13th game in NBA history. Wednesday's contest will mark the first time that Lillard and CJ McCollum will be on the floor as opponents. As Watkins explained, Lillards size and role as a facilitator was a hang up for bigger colleges. Lillard has hit that mark twice and bested it once. After hosting a rap concert with a HOME OF DAMIAN LILLARD sign in the background at his Oakland High School gym, the Portland Trail Blazers star took a moment to reflect while inspired students listened intently. Despite his numerous accomplishments, he has yet to win the scoring title in what has been a fantastic season. He helped lead the school to a 21-10 record, 15-1 in the Big Sky Conference during the 2007-08 season. When he was a member of the basketball team at Weber State University, he was the schools second-highest scorer. Following a freshman season in which he led the conference in scoring, he was named Big Sky Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big Sky. This is a part of the NBA season. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. The Trail Blazers had a lot of problems in the second half while losing for the sixth time in nine games. To make the inconvenience worse, Lillard says he hates needles. Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. (born July 15, 1990 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). I think its a story that has been told so many times, and people know how much I embrace my story and being an underdog. We dont get a lot of this at school with Fetty Wap, Lil Uzi and DJ Esco, Dame right in front of us. A lot of times you dont get that inspiration right in your presence. The two-time NBA All-Star arrived back at his high school in Oakland, California, at a time when a morale boost was sorely needed. He played college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats and earned third-team All-American honors in 2012. Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. How much does Damian Lillard make? When they respected his ability to drive, Lillard hit 3s. For me, I cant play basketball for the rest of my life. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Lillard was out with a season-ending abdominal injury when the teams played twice last season after the trade. And when they trapped him, he made the right passes. After taking a 36-31 lead into halftime, Oaklands offense went silent to open the second half. It really, really was a masterful performance, Billups said. The Blazers shot 54.5% from the field while hitting on 20 of 39 threes (51.3%). Yeah, we had that in high school, Watkins told Dennis Scott. Lillard finished his collegiate career ranked second in school history with 1,934 career points, fifth in Big Sky Conference history. Damian Lillard during his senior season at Oakland High School, when he averaged 22.9 points per game when the Wildcats went 23-9, losing in the NorCal Neither do we. Stephen Curry's career high is 62, short of Lillard,'s 71, and his 11 50-point games also trail Lillard's total, as do Kevin Durant's nine. 2 Oakland upset in NorCal semis, but a young roster headlined by rising star Williams went off for 12 points in the first half on Saturday. Also, the Rockets (13-47) have the NBAs worst record, and Lillard wanted to make sure the Blazers heads were in the right space. Almost casual, like he made it look easy.. Because of his skill set, he is one of the best players in the league. In their next game, Lillard scored 36 points on 15-of-26 shooting. And I turned to him and said, Thats because they are expecting a run like, they are expecting something. And that was our interaction then we walked to half court.. But today in East Oakland, theyll tell the stories. Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA writer for Andscape. So I was like, Man, Im going to do it for Jim Taylor. So I sat there and did it. I was playing to keep the lead instead of playing to score a bunch of points.. A post shared by Damian Lillard (@damianlillard), I mean, honestly, I was like, Are yall serious? Lillard said Sunday during his postgame news conference. Portland needs Lillard to have more explosive nights like Sunday, and if he does, this Blazer team can certainly win on any given night. Sometimes players like to absorb that contact to finish and the refs call a foul, but sometimes they dont call a foul, so now youve created a tougher shot and it doesnt go in, Watkins said. We cant look at a game like tonight, like oh, we playing Houston, we supposed to win no. He has averaged 20.5 points per game in his career, but he has never averaged more than 23 points per game. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. The contest was the second of a back-to-back for the Trail Blazers and Lillard had just returned from a calf injury. Theres a million words for it, lots of ways to describe it, and a lot of things that go into it. While these arent the most eye-popping stats, Lillard was a three-star recruit out of high school and caught the attention of Weber State, where he excelled. The most unheralded of backstories turned into the most celebrated player in Blazers history. Stephen Curry's career high is 62, short of Lillard,'s 71, and his 11 50-point games also trail Lillard's total, as do Despite having one of the best outside shooting percentages in the NBA, he has never been able to win a scoring title because his three-point attempts fail to convert. But Lejuan Watts answered with what he had done all night for Bullard and bullied his way to the basket, crossing over behind his back and taking his defender off the dribble for his final of 15 points, cutting Oaklands lead to 59-58. You get that from YouTube. But he had just six in the second half while hounded by multiple defenders and the Trail Blazers were outscored 75-40. Those are the moments I struggle with. And for what I represent, what I put into the game, how I handle myself, how I handle success. WebLillard played for coach Orlando Watkins at Oakland High School his final two years of high school where he was first-team all-league. To tell you the truth, it was just bad luck, bad timing, Watkins explained. Oklahoma City (28-32) lost 124-115 at Sacramento (35-25). Lillard has enjoyed a solid career, averaging 25 points per game and an exceptional 90% from the charity stripe, everything you look for in a franchise player. If a single arm bent, then everyone had to run. So, I live for the moments when Im taking over and dominating games, but I dont live for the stuff that comes afterwards, Lillard said. He gives other kids motivation.. He did it multiple times, in addition to on the video screen and on the basketball court. Ive seen pieces of art, Lillard said. I think thats the main thing, I dont fear people. It just felt like something, Lillard said. Despite playing for a relatively unknown high school, Lillard was a very good player and was recruited by several colleges. Lillard made 22-of-38 shots, all 14 of his free throws, and 13-of-22 from 3-point range. Oct 15, 2021. The High School Slight That Drives Damian Lillard To This Day (AP Photo/Steve Dykes) APAP. It comes as no surprise that Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is one of the all-time best NBA players. There is no doubt that Lillard is a deserving recipient of the honor, and his achievements will be remembered for the rest of his life. They know Im scared of needles I know I have a lot of tattoos, but when you are doing a blood draw its different than tattoos, Lillard said. I think he got a little frustrated at the beginning of the third quarter, but he adjusted, he attacked the rim, he did good things defensively. Ever. |He has it: Behind brilliance of Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers still alive | They know what I do: Damian Lillard wont be deterred by failure or detractors, (Photo of Damian Lillard: Alika Jenner / Getty Images). Oakland High had a gift for Lillard, too, as the school retired his old jersey. Those are the moments that make you., NBA 75: Damian Lillard went from milk-crate hoops to Dame Time: Im just a believer. He connected on 22 of 38 field goal attempts while making 13 of 22 Lillard finished his collegiate career ranked second in school history with 1,934 career points, fifth in Big Sky Conference history. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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