Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard did what he does best in the final minutes with the game on the line—knock down three-point shots.
Lillard hit an NBA record 12 three-pointers, including two clutch game-tying threes, to send Game 5 against the Nuggets into overtime and then double overtime. He finished with 55 points on 17-of-24 from the field in the 147-140 loss on the road to Denver.
Lillard’s historic performance broke Klay Thompson’s record for the most threes in a playoff game. He also became the first player in NBA history to score at least 50 points, 10 assists and 10 three-pointers in a regular season game or the playoffs, per ESPN Stats and Info.
In a game that could be described as an instant classic, the Trail Blazers were down as many as 22 points with 7:52 to play in the second quarter. However, Portland went on a 23-6 run to end the quarter and trailed the Nuggets 65-62 at halftime.
The two teams battled in the third and Portland took a 94-92 lead heading into the fourth quarter. After a controversial foul call in the final seconds of regulation, Lillard knocked down a signature 28-foot step-back three-pointer that sent the game to overtime.
Denver leads Portland 3-2 in the series with Game 6 in Portland on Thursday.
Here’s how social media reacted to Lillard’s record-setting night:
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