3. Damon Stoudamire, 2000: 27 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists
Point guard Damon Stoudamire began his career with the Toronto Raptors. However, he eventually found his way back to his hometown via trade in February 1998, and would spend seven and a half seasons with the franchise.
Stoudamire was a steady presence at point guard for the title-contending Blazers teams at the turn of the millennium. He started every game he played in Portland from his arrival in 1998 through the end of the 2000-01 season.
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But on Christmas 2000, Stoudamire was front and center in a big-time matchup against the conference rival Los Angeles Lakers. The two teams had faced off in a heated seven-game series the previous spring, so any matchups the following year were must-see TV.
The two teams had already played each other twice by this point. The Lakers took the season-opener on Halloween 96-86. Portland hit back with their own 96-86 victory on Dec. 13.
In this rubber match, Stoudamire took control of the game when needed. While Rasheed Wallace led all scorers with 33 points along with eight rebounds, he also came away with five fouls and two turnovers. By comparison, “Mighty Mouse” was one point short of 30 and a rebound and assist short of a triple-double. He also dished out those nine assists while turning the ball over only once.
Portland defeated the Lakers 109-104 that night in Los Angeles. This win was en route to a 50-32 season for the Blazers. However, the Western Conference was so competitive that this record only garnered them the seventh seed in the 2001 NBA Playoffs. They once again faced the Lakers, who swept them in three games.