LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Everything is back to normal for Damian Lillard.
The All-Star point guard scored 51 points after a frustrating finish the night before, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 124-121 on Sunday.
On Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers, Lillard missed a couple of free throws with 18.6 seconds to go and a 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds left in a 122-117 loss. Clippers players Paul George and Patrick Beverley were seen laughing after Lillard’s crash.
Lillard got the final laughs Sunday by scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter.
“It was not really my performance yesterday and I wanted to perform in a certain way today,” he said. “It was like, we left one sneak we should have had yesterday, and I’m a big part of why it came down to us. So last night, I was like` That will not happen. ‘
Portland bounced back and pulled inside a Memphis half-game for eighth place in the Western Conference. The Trail Blazers increased their chances of qualifying for the play-in series, which will begin Saturday.
The 76ers lost much more than the game. All-Star center Joel Embiid left in the first quarter with what the team called a left ankle injury, and he did not return. He fired a shot, then stepped up and stepped awkwardly into the station. He had averaged 30 points per game since the restart.
76ers coach Brett Brown would not say whether Embiid missed time.
“I will learn more physically,” Brown said. “I do not know enough to comment on it.”
It was more bad injury news for the 76ers. All-Star point guard Ben Simmons is out indefinitely with an injured left knee.
Josh Richardson scored a season-high 34 points and Alec Burks added 20 for Philadelphia. The 76ers would have gone into a tie with the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat for a fourth place finish in the Eastern Conference standings with a win.
Without their stars, the 76ers fell behind at 17 in the second quarter and kicked 67-58 at halftime.
The game is tight. Phil Horford of Philadelphia hit a 3-pointer to trim Portland’s lead to 122-121. Portus’ Jusuf Nurkic made two free throws with 10.2 seconds left to set up his team three. Richardson missed a 3-pointer for Philadelphia, and the 76ers could not get another shot after a scramble for handball.
“I thought our boys were fighting,” Brown said. “I really thought the spirit of the group was fantastic. We called on a lot of different players who I think have played with a spirit and a passion that you are proud of.”
TIP-INS
76ers: Horford suffered a technical foul in the third quarter. He scored 15 points. … Burks scored 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Trail Blazers: Lillard scored a goal in the first quarter as he rode to the hoop and shot his pass from Philadelphia’s Tobias Harris, from the backboard and into the court. … Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points and moved up to 15th place on the NBA’s career scoring list.
QUOTABLE
Lillard on dealing with pressure: “I’m willing to risk it all,” he said. “If we lose, I can tackle it – arrive short like yesterday. If we win, it’s like, ‘Let’s do it again.’ I enjoy it. It’s fun. “
AGGRESSIVE approach
Lillard made 16 of 28 shots and 15 of 16 free throws.
“I told myself I got into the game that I got out of the rip as soon as the ball is thrown in the air. I’m going. I’m attacking,” he said. “And that was that.”
STATLINJEN
Lillard scored 5 of 6 field goals and 5 of 6 free throws in the fourth quarter.
FOLLOWING
76ers: Play the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
Trail Blazers: Play the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
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