PORTLAND – The Lakers led by 11 points, 97-86, with 5:26 to go before the Trail Blazers scored 14 straight points, 11 by Damian Lillard, to stun a sellout Lakers crowd with a 108-103 win at STAPLES Center on Monday night. Lillard scored 39 points in all, with 19 (5-7 FG, 4-5 3-PT) coming in the thrilling final period.
"They had momentum so I figured we had to just get really aggressive," said Lillard. "I started attacking, and we tried to make a run for it. If you don't make a run for it at that point they could come down and hit a three and the game could get away from you. So I figured why not go now and live with whatever happens."
What happened was the Trail Blazers upped their win streak to seven games and four straight on the road. Portland’s winning streak marks its longest since November 9-26, 2014 (nine games). In doing so, the Trail Blazers also ended the Lakers’ season-best five-game winning streak.
Portland has raced to a 38-26 mark, a season-best 12 games above .500, on the strength of its seven straight wins. The Trail Blazers remain Northwest Division leaders and in third place in the Western Conference standings, one game ahead of Minnesota, New Orleans and San Antonio.
After the Trail Blazers took a 58-55 lead into the break, the Lakers grabbed control of the game with a 25-15 third quarter in which they led by as many as 12 points. But that only enabled Damian Lillard to play hero once more, scoring 15 straight Blazers points, including four consecutive 3-pointers.
"He definitely thought the hoop was an ocean," said Shabazz Napier on Lillard. "Throwing a rock in the ocean. It looked good every time he shot it."
With his 23rd point tonight, Lillard reached 1,500 points for the sixth straight season. He is one of only 13 players all-time and one of four active players (Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, LeBron James) to score 1,500 points in each of their first six seasons.
Additionally, Lillard joins Clyde Drexler as the only Trail Blazers to score 1,500+ points in six different seasons. Drexler accomplished the feat six times over 11 seasons in Portland.
"Reminiscent of Phoenix, where Dame just has the ability to take over a game and make big plays," said Head Coach Terry Stotts. "He got us back into position to win the game, and then we had some good plays down the stretch."
TAKING IT TO THE LAKERSPortland has now defeated the LA Lakers in 15 straight games, a streak that started all the way back on April 1, 2014. It’s the second-longest active winning streak in the NBA by one team against another (18 games – Oklahoma City over Philadelphia).
The 15-game run marks the second-longest streak against the Lakers, all-time (18 games - Boston, 1957-59) and is tied for Portland’s third-longest streak against any other NBA team (17 – LA Clippers, 1986-89; 16 – Minnesota, 2007-11).
TOP SCORERS• Lillard recorded his 20th game of 30+ points this season. He scored 14 points in the second quarter on 5-for-6 FG (2-2 3-PT) before besting that with his 19 fourth quarter points.• McCollum led all players in the first quarter with nine points and four assists and finished with 22 points.• Jusuf Nurkic recorded his 16th double-double of the year with 16 points and a game-best 16 rebounds.
NOTABLES• Portland has won its first six games after the All-Star break for the first time since the 1999-2000 season (seven games).• The Trail Blazers scored 21 fastbreak points on the night (Lakers-14).• The Trail Blazers and Lakers entered tonight’s game as two of the five undefeated NBA teams since the All-Star break (Golden State, Houston, New Orleans).• Maurice Harkless (left knee) missed his second straight game.
QUOTABLE"Damian Lillard is special. If it's not obvious, I'll say it." - Coach Stotts
LISTEN UP
NEXT UPThe Trail Blazers head right back home for a five-game homestand beginning Tuesday night against the New York Knicks. Tipoff from Portland is scheduled for 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Northwest and NBC Sports Northwest Rip City Radio 620 AM. Portland’s homestand continues with Golden State, Miami, Cleveland and Detroit.