Damian Lillard once ended the Houston Rockets season as they worked to become contenders in the Western Conference. On Sunday night, he buried a Rockets team trying to find its footing amid one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
The Portland Trail Blazers point guard and seven-time All-Star tallied a career-high 71 points in Sunday's 131-114 win over the Rockets, a night in which he drained 13 threes and shot 22-38 from the field. Lillard erupted for 41 points in the first half—the second-most of any player in the last 25 seasons—torching the Rockets from all areas of the floor.