Damian Lillard (right) is the first player in NBA history to score six three pointers in six consecutive games
Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard posted 51 points in their 124-107 win over Utah Jazz – continuing a scoring run that has seen him average 48.8 over the past six games.
Lillard has scored at least 36 points every game during his run, which started with 61 points against the Golden State Warriors on 21 January.
“I’ve never been in this type of rhythm in my life,” point guard Lillard said.
“You figure out what makes you at your best and I’ve found that space.”
He added: “I’ve stepped up my preparation – getting more sleep, getting off my feet, hydrating – things to make myself feel good about myself, my life, and do things to give myself the best chance on the court.”
Saturday night’s points haul was his fourth 50-point game of the season, with the home fans at the Moda Center giving him a standing ovation and chanting “MVP” at the end.
He has also become the first player in NBA history to make at least six three-pointers in six straight games.
Team-mate Carmelo Anthony said of Lillard’s scoring streak: “It’s indescribable, I would say. I’m just happy to be a part of it, to be a fan of it.”
Lillard is only the third player to score at least 293 points over a six-game period in the NBA in the past 20 years, joining Houston Rockets’ James Harden (299 points at an average of 49.8) and late LA Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (293, 48.8).
| Damian Lillard’s last six games | |
|---|---|
| Game | Points |
| Utah Jazz (2 February) | 51 |
| LA Lakers (1 February) | 48 |
| Houston Rockets (30 January) | 36 |
| Indiana Pacers (27 January) | 50 |
| Dallas Mavericks (24 January) | 47 |
| Golden State Warriors (21 January) | 61 |
Lakers win first game since Bryant’s death
Anthony Davis (left) scored 21 points in the Lakers’ win over Sacramento Kings, while LeBron James hit a triple double in his 15 point personal tally
The LA Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 129-113, a week after the loss of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who died aged 41 in a helicopter crash along with his daughter Gianna and seven others on 26 January.
LA had lost 127-119 to Portland in the first game since Bryant’s death on Friday, on a night when LeBron James led tributes to the star, who spent his whole 20-year career at the Staples Center.
In Saturday’s victory against the Kings, Anthony Davis scored a team-high 21 points for the Lakers, who posted 81 points in the first half.
“We got our first win,” said Lakers head coach Frank Vogel. “It is never going to feel normal, it is never going to feel the same.
“That is our first win since this happened. There are going to be a lot of important steps for us along the way and I loved the way we came out tonight.”
Kobe Bryant helicopter firm was not allowed to fly in fog
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James leads Lakers’ tributes to Bryant
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