Portland Trail Blazers: Top 10 player performances of 2017

8. Damian Lillard, March 30: 31 points, 11 assists, 29.9 Game Score

This game was the first of back-to-back 31-point games for Lillard. However, this game had a bit more gravity due to the opponent. Lillard was able to lead the Blazers past MVP candidate James Harden, Coach of the Year Mike D’Antoni and their Houston Rockets, 117-107.

Harden finished the night with 30 points, eight rebounds and four assists. However, that output was neutralized by Lillard’s double-double performance as well as the play of several key teammates. Jusuf Nurkic finished the night with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Maurice Harkless and Allen Crabbe both added 17, while Al-Farouq Aminu came away with 15.

Lillard knocked down his 31 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field. This was an improvement from his sub-37 percent shooting in the previous two games. It was also his first time in five games that he made double-digit field goals.

Also of note, Lillard manage to obliterate both of Houston’s ball-handlers in terms of assist-to-turnover ratio. He finished with 11 assists and three turnovers. Meanwhile, Harden had four assists and six turnovers, and Beverley had three assists and two turnovers.

In the end, Damian Lillard rose to the occasion and put up a big night against a tough Western Conference foe.