Damian Lillard dropped 51 points on Sunday to help the Portland Trailblazers to beat the Philadephia 76ers 124-121 in a game they needed to stay in striking distance of the eighth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.
Lillard bounced back from missing two crucial free-throws that would have put them on the head of the Clippers the night before. After the game, there were jabs back and forth been Damian Lillard, Paul George, and Patrick Beverley. It didn’t stop there though Lillard’s sister and LaโNae Lillard, and Paul George’s girlfriend took shots at each other.
โI said earlier I was going to let that whole Paul George sโt go, and Patrick Beverly cause everybody know how my mouth is, how my mouth can get,โ LaโNae said, via footageย from NBA Central Daily. โCause you canโt talk, you got a h-e stripper pregnant.โ
Rajic responded to LaโNaeโs comments on her Instagram story: โSomebody come get this cow @lanaelillard.โ
With Lillard pouring in 51 points, grabbing three rebounds, and dishing out seven assist in 40 minutes on Sunday. That bring up the question is Lillard the best point guard in the league?
Former Clippers and Blazers guard Craig Smith was a recent guest on The NR Hour Sports Podcast Show with Nithin Ramachandra and was asked if Lillard was the best point guard in the game?
“I would think so! Dame is one of my favorite players and especially with this 51. He has kind of been un-guardable, especially watching these few games. And I mean the Clippers kind of made him mad, so now, he is a little bit angry,” said Smith. “So, now you are going to get an angry Dame coming into the playoffs. Sometimes that doesn’t sit well.
Even though Patrick Beverley was making fun of Lillard, he admitted that he couldn’t guard the Blazers floor general on The JJ Redick Podcast with Tommy Alter.
โI say Dame. I give it to him. Dame is one of the reasons why I went into the weight room. I told my guys, โHey, I gotta get faster laterally. I donโt feel like Iโm fast. I canโt keep up with the speed right now. I donโt know if I need to lose weight. I donโt know if I need to get stronger. I donโt know if I need to hire a new f****** team. But I need to get f******* fasterโฆ
โHeโs in a system where they allow him to be exactly who he is in order for them to win at a high level. Those half-court shots are like, for me thatโs layups and corner shots, half-court shots for him, though. The dynamic is very different when youโre going out there preparing for a player like that. Way different.โ
Former Blazers’ guard shared with me last summer that Lillard was the best player at his position.
โAt his position, he is the number one guard in the league right now,โย Wells told me.
โWhat I love about Dame, he does so much for the community, he raps, a family guy and loyal to the soil that he grew up in.โ
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He continued, โHe puts the work in on the court and isnโt all about talking with him.”
โHe goes out there and performs. That is what I respect about him. With that being said, that puts him above all guards in my opinion. What he did in that First Round [in the NBA Playoffs] against Paul George; who I know is a great defender and Russell Westbrook, who is a competitor; but he was able to put on a show like no other. That put him on the top of my list after that series.โ
The Blazers are scheduled to face the Maverick next on Tuesday at 6:30 pm EST on TNT.
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