Damian Lillard has elevated his All-Star-level play to another stratosphere over the last two weeks, unleashing a scoring onslaught that is not only the best of his career but also historic.
Over the last six games, the Portland Trail Blazers’ point guard has recorded 293 points, 61 assists, 43 rebounds, seven steals and 49 three-pointers, part of an incredible individual run that has caused Future Hall of Famers to gush and coaches to become speechless.
“Don’t ask me about Dame,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said Saturday night, after Lillard punished the Utah Jazz for 51 points. “I’m out of superlatives. Don’t ask me to explain it. ... he’s playing exceptional basketball.”
Added 17-year veteran Carmelo Anthony: “I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything like this."
Indeed. Lillard is averaging 48.8 points, 10.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds during the streak, becoming the first player in NBA history to average more than 45.0 points and 10.0 assists over a six-game span, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Lillard’s 293 points are tied for the third-most by any player over a six-game stretch since the 1976-77 season, according to Elias, and his 49 three-pointers are the most over six games in NBA history, surpassing the 46 Stephen Curry made in January of last season. Only James Harden (twice) has had a more prolific six-game scoring burst and only Kobe Bryant (once) has equaled it.
MOST POINTS IN 6-GAME STRETCH SINCE 1976-77
| Player | Points | Date |
|---|---|---|
| James Harden | 299 | Jan. 13-23, 2019 |
| James Harden | 296 | Jan. 14-25, 2019 |
| Damian Lillard | 293 | Jan. 20-Feb. 1, 2020 |
| Kobe Bryant | 293 | March 15-25, 2007 |
| Kobe Bryant | 291 | March 16-27, 2007 |
| James Harden | 286 | Jan. 9-19, 2019 |
| James Harden | 281 | Jan. 11-21, 2019 |
| James Harden | 279 | Jan. 16-27, 2019 |
| Kobe Bryant | 279 | March 18-30, 2007 |
| Kobe Bryant | 278 | Jan. 19-31, 2006 |
| *Elias Sports Bureau |
The ridiculous run started with an overtime victory against the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 20, when Lillard exploded for a franchise-record 61 points, and he’s scored at least 47 points five times, including 50 or more three times. The only time Lillard was held below 47 points, during a Wednesday win over the Houston Rockets, he recorded the first triple-double of his career (36 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds).
Lillard has scored 50 or more points four times this season, nudging his career total up to nine, 10th-most in NBA history.
How dominant has the five-time All-Star been?
Lillard’s 293 points are 16 points more than Michael Jordan scored over a six-game span in his career, 31 more than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar produced and 62 more than Larry Bird and Curry.
Of course, most importantly for the playoff-chasing Blazers, Lillard’s red-hot run has led to a few much-needed victories. The Blazers (23-27) have won five of their last six games, moving into a tie for ninth place in the Western Conference with the San Antonio Spurs (22-26).
BEST 6-GAME RUNS BY OTHER NOTABLE PLAYERS
| Player | Points | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Jordan | 277 | March 23-April 1, 1990 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 262 | Feb. 9-18, 1972 |
| Allen Iverson | 250 | April 5-14, 1997 |
| LeBron James | 238 | March 29-April 8, 2006 |
| Larry Bird | 231 | March 6-17, 1985 |
| Stephen Curry | 231 | Feb. 20-March 3, 2016 Feb. 24, March 7, 2016 |
| *STATS Research |
— Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman | Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories