Damian Lillard needed 21 points on Monday to overtake Portland Trail Blazer icon Clyde Drexler as the franchise’s all-time top scorer. He got there in the third quarter only to see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander steal the scene on the buzzer.
Lillard scored his 18,041 with a free throw against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Point to put his name at the top of the Trail Blazers record book.
He ended Monday with 28 points, including two hard buckets in traffic in the final minute of the game.
But it wasn’t enough for Portland as Gilgeous-Alexander potted the Blazers with a buzzer beater to secure a 123-121 Thunder win.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the night with 35 points and six assists while hitting all 14 of his free throws. Continuing a breakout campaign, his exploits have looked a lot like Lillard’s over the years. Lillard led the Blazers by 28 points, but he’ll have to settle for his new place in Trail Blazer history on Monday.
Will Lillard’s record be broken?
Drexler played more than eleven seasons in Portland and led the Trail Blazers to the 1992 NBA Finals, where he lost to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. He averaged 20.8 points in 867 career games before joining the Houston Rockets in the 1994-95 season.
Lillard, 32, is on track to break the record when he retires in Portland. The six-time All-Star is averaging 24.7 career points, surpassing Drexler in his 730th NBA game. Injuries have hampered Lillard this season and last. But when he’s healthy, he shows no signs of slowing down.
Lillard is limited to 19 of Portland’s 31 games this season. He made the most of his availability, scoring 28.3 points per game and shooting 39.8% from 3-point range when he scored on Monday night. He has blossomed since returning from a calf strain and has averaged 31.5 points in the seven games since returning on December 4. As one of the top free-throw shooters in the league (89.3% for his career), it’s fitting that Lillard broke the streak record.
Drexler and Lillard are both members of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which honors the top 75 players in league history. Drexler is in the Hall of Fame. It won’t be long before Lillard hears his name after he retires.
Damian Lillard made Trail Blazers history, but Portland lost a heartthrob. (Alonzo Adams/Portal)