Damian Lillard torches Clippers with 39 in Trail Blazers win
Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard (0) shoots over Los Angeles Clippers’ Avery Bradley during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
LOS ANGELES— Damian Lillard scored 22 of his 39 points in a dominant third quarter and the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 131-127 on Monday night.
Lillard hit five of his six 3-pointers in the third when the Blazers outscored the Clippers 42-28. Portland was 10 of 20 from 3-point range in the game.
C.J. McCollum added 27 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 20.
Tobias Harris matched Lillard with a career-high 39 points and rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 24 for the Clippers, who have lost four in a row for the first time this season.
Los Angeles trailed by 15 in the first quarter but erased the deficit in the second when the Clippers took their first lead, only to fall behind by 15 again in the third.
Lillard’s fifth 3 left the Clippers down 95-80. Portland made seven 3s in the period and stretched its lead to 18 points early in the fourth.
The Clippers chipped away and got to 125-123 after Harris hit three of four free throws. McCollum’s jumper kept Portland ahead 127-123.
Danilo Gallinari, who finished with 22 points, missed a 3-pointer, but after a scramble got the ball back and made the same shot to leave the Clippers trailing 127-126. McCollum got fouled and made both to keep the Trail Blazers ahead by three.
The Clippers were forced to foul Lillard, who hit both free throws to seal the win.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s 3-pointer in the final seconds missed.
The Trail Blazers set the tone in the opening quarter when they began the game on a 33-18 run while shooting 80 percent from the floor.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Terry Stotts recorded his 289th victory and is two from tying Rick Adelman for second on the team’s all-time coaching wins list. … The Blazers have won five of their last six against the Clippers.
Clippers: Montrezl Harrell committed a flagrant-2 foul in the fourth and was ejected. … Los Angeles fell to 7-2 against West opponents at home. … Tyronn Lue, fired as Cavaliers coach in October, was a visitor. He was a Clippers assistant in 2013-14. … G Lou Williams (sore left hamstring) and F Luc Mbah a Moute (sore left knee) could return within the next week. Williams has missed four straight games, while Mbah a Moute has been out for 26 in a row.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Host Memphis on Wednesday.
Clippers: Host Dallas on Thursday.
