New York Knicks 113-116 Portland Trail Blazers: Twitter in awe as Damian Lillard breaks multiple records with 39-point outing
A late surge from New York Knicks wasn't enough as the shorthanded Portland Trail Blazers secured a 116-113 win at the Moda Center. The Blazers led by as many as 25 points and their early domination eventually paid off. It was Damian Lillard who stole all the headlines with a 39-point effort, one that saw him go 16th in the list of all-time three-pointers made.
It was a heartbreaking affair for rookie Immanuel Quickley whose 31 points kept the New York Knicks in the game. Julius Randle also managed 25 points but he was largely inefficient against the Portland Trail Blazers' dogged interior defense.
Portland Trail Blazers catch fire early
The Portland Trail Blazers raced off to the paces in the first quarter itself. Lillard recorded 15 first-quarter points alone to give his side a 37-24 lead. The New York Knicks struggled from the field and committed costly turnovers. Their perimeter defense was also lacking and the Blazers torched them with three-point shooting.
Tom Thibodeau's men showed more grit going forward in the second but still couldn't slow down Portland Trail Blazers' offense. Anfernee Simons got extended minutes in the absence of CJ McCollum and made the most of it by dropping quick treys. He finished with 18 points on the night.
Julius Randle tried forcing the issue for the New York Knicks but Enes Kanter played some solid defense to keep him quiet. Portland led 70-50 at the half and the game seemed all but over.
New York Knicks fight back with an improved defensive effort
The New York Knicks had the third-best defensive rating in the league going into this game and they finally showcased some solidity on that end in the third quarter. They started double-teaming Damian Lillard and it worked wonders as the other Portland Trail Blazers shooters struggled too.
Quickley and Randle stepped up at this point to get the offense flowing as the New York Knicks cut down to lead to 12 points heading into the fourth quarter. The likes of Elfrid Payton and Austin Rivers still left a lot to be desired.
The Knicks continued their tough play on both ends of the court to cut down the lead to just five with nearly six minutes left to play. That's when Lillard came in clutch and dropped a few baskets to create separation for the Portland Trail Blazers.
It soon became a fouling game and Lillard sealed the deal at the charity stripe. Interestingly, he hit his 66th consecutive free throw for the Portland Trail Blazers in the process, thereby setting a personal and franchise record. He got deserved plaudits for his efforts.
Immanuel Quickley also received praise for his career-night.
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