Damian Lillard scores season-high 40 to help Portland Trail Blazers beat Sacramento Kings
De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield got hot, but Damian Lillard carved out a little slice of history to help the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Kings for the second time in less than a week.
Lillard had season highs of 40 points and 13 assists, leading the Blazers to a 132-126 victory over the Kings on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center. Lillard delivered a masterful performance, becoming the first player in NBA history to produce a 40-point, 13-assist game without committing a turnover.
C.J. McCollum had 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the Blazers (7-4), who tied a franchise record with 23 3-pointers. Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Fox finished with 29 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Kings (5-7), who were trying to avenge an embarrassing 26-point loss to the Blazers on Saturday. Hield had 26 points, six rebounds and five assists with eight 3-pointers.
Richaun Holmes added 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Kings. Rookie Tyrese Haliburton came off the bench to post 17 points, a career-high nine assists and five rebounds. He made 7 of 10 from the field and 3 of 4 from 3-point range.
The Kings set a strong tone at both ends of the floor in the first quarter. They shot 65.2% from the field and made 7 of 11 (.636) from 3-point range while holding the Blazers to 42.3% shooting. Fox led the way with 15 points, four assists and three rebounds in the opening period, helping the Kings establish an early 13-point lead.
Sacramento went up by 20 on alley-oop dunk from Haliburton to Marvin Bagley III with 7:20 to play in the second quarter. The Blazers responded with a 20-4 run to cut the deficit to four and got within three when McCollum buried a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer. The Kings finished the first half with 11 3-pointers, 20 assists on 24 made baskets and a 24-12 advantage in points in the paint.
The Kings pushed the lead back to 19 points on a 3-pointer by Hield midway through the third quarter. The Blazers battled back once more, staging a 16-4 run to get within six. They trailed by five at the end of the third but kept coming to take a 107-105 lead on a basket by Nurkic early in the fourth.
The Blazers led by seven following a driving layup by Lillard with 3:20 to play. The Kings got within two on a 3-pointer by Fox with 42.3 seconds to go, but the Blazers closed out the Kings with another big basket and two free throws by Lillard.
The Kings knew they let one get away after blowing two big leads.
“If you get a 20-point lead, you’ve got to protect it,” Holmes said. “... I feel like we could have put our foot on their neck, but we gave them a chance and when you get guys like Dame and C.J. going, it’s hard to shut that water off.”
Buddy Buckets is back
Hield has gotten into a rhythm after struggling over the first 10 games.
Hield went into the game shooting career lows of 36.2% from the field and 35.8% from 3-point range. He was averaging 14.7 points per game, down from 19.2 last season. The Kings went 3-2 over the first five games of the season with Hield shooting 36.7% from 3-point range. They went 1-4 over the next five games with Hield shooting 30.6% from beyond the arc.
Hield has rediscovered his stroke over the past two games. After making 6 of 11 from 3-point range to finish with 18 points in Monday’s 127-122 victory over the Indiana Pacers, Hield knocked down 8 of 18 from beyond the arc on Wednesday. He made 8 of 12 before missing his last six 3-point attempts.
“I’m not going to shoot terrible like this for the rest of the season,” Hield said. “It’s a long season. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
“I didn’t make shots in the last five minutes when my teammates needed me, but other than that I feel like I shot the ball pretty well today.”
Up next
The Kings will play the sixth game in their current seven-game homestand when they entertain the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. The Clippers (7-4) were scheduled to play the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night in Los Angeles before making their way to Sacramento.
Paul George is averaging 25 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the Clippers. He is among the league leaders in 3-point shooting at 51.2%. Kawhi Leonard is averaging 24.4 points, 5.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 steals while shooting 43.2% from beyond the arc.
Nicolas Batum, claimed off waivers after being released by the Charlotte Hornets, has also been very good for the Clippers. Batum is averaging 10.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 50.7% from the field and a career-high 43.5% from 3-point range.
And then …
The Kings will conclude their homestand against New Orleans on Sunday. A couple of key players might be unavailable for the Pelicans (4-5).
Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, was ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the Clippers due to health and safety protocols. Lonzo Ball had already been ruled out due to bilateral knee tendinopathy. It’s not clear how many games Williamson and Ball will miss. The Pelicans will face the Lakers on Friday before coming to Sacramento.
Williamson is averaging 21.9 points and 8.1 rebounds in his second season. Ball has struggled, averaging 12.4 points, 4.4 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.9 turnovers while shooting 39.5% from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range.
Injury report
Blazers: OUT — Zach Collins (ankle); Keljin Blevins (personal).
Kings: OUT — DaQuan Jeffries (ankle).
Upcoming Kings schedule
Jan. 15 vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 7 p.m.
Jan. 17 vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 6 p.m.
Jan. 20 at Los Angeles Clippers, 7 p.m.
Jan. 22 vs. New York Knicks, 7 p.m.
Jan. 24 at Memphis Grizzlies, 5 p.m.
This story was originally published January 13, 2021 at 9:54 PM.
