PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Damian Lillard scored a season-high 60 points and hit nine 3-pointers, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Utah Jazz 134-124 on Wednesday night.
Lillard ranks second in the NBA this season. Donovan Mitchell had 71 in an overtime game for Cleveland against Chicago on Jan. 3, and Luka Doncic scored 60 in Dallas’ OT win over New York on Dec. 27.
Jerami Grant added 19 points to help Portland win its second straight game.
Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 24 points. He had a layup followed by a tip shot with 5:20 left that put Utah up 115-108.
Grant and Anfernee Simons had back-to-back dunks to put Portland up 121-110, and the Blazers led comfortably the rest of the way.
When Lillard got to the free throw line late in the game, the home crowd stood and chanted “MVP! “MVP!” Lillard missed a jump shot with 29.1 seconds left that would have topped his career-best 61.
Lillard has four career games of 60 points or more. He has turned 61 twice.
After struggling for most of January, the Blazers came off a 147-127 win over San Antonio on Monday.
Lillard had 26 points in the first half and hit six 3s.
Lillard finished 21 of 29 from the field, 9 of 15 on 3s and 9 of 10 from the line. He also had eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals.
TIP INS
Jazz: The quick trip to Portland was sandwiched between two Jazz homestands. They played three in Utah before the game, then returned for five games at home. … Markkanen has made a 3-pointer in 37 straight games, the most for an NBA 7-footer.
Trail Blazers: It was the fourth game of a six-game homestand for the Blazers. … Portland was hurt in the first half when starter Josh Hart left with a hamstring injury and did not return. Jusuf Nurkic left the game in the third quarter with left calf soreness and did not return. … Lillard moved into sixth place on the league’s all-time 3-pointers list, passing Vince Carter.
LEARNING PROCESS
Rookie Walker Kessler has started for the Jazz in Kelly Olynyk’s absence due to a sprained left ankle. The 7-foot-1 center is among the leaders in blocks with 1.9 per. game.
Jazz coach Will Harvey said part of Walker’s development is knowing he belongs at the NBA level.
“I think he gets some good feedback when he watches the film with the coaches, but I really think he gets a lot of feedback from his teammates and they push him,” Harvey said. “The things they say to him in huddles, in the locker room, pregame, postgame and in practice, they make him feel like he’s a big part of what we’re doing and that he belongs, and I think that’s where you see his confidence grow.”
NEXT
Jazz: Host Dallas on Saturday night.
Trail Blazers: Host the Raptors on Saturday night.
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