Former Weber State Star Damian Lillard Carries Blazers To Postseason With Play-In Game Win
Aug 15, 2020, 3:38 PM | Updated: 11:15 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Former Weber State and current Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard helped the Blazers clinched the No. 8 seed and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a play-in game victory against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Lillard and the Trail Blazers took down the Grizzlies 126-122 on Saturday, August 15.
The former Wildcats star scored a Portland-high 31 points on 6-15 shooting in the win. He shot 5-14 from three-point range and 14-14 from the free throw line. Lillard added 2 rebounds, 10 assists, and a steal in 45 minutes on the court.
Former @WeberStateMBB guard @Dame_Lillard scored 31 points to lead the @trailblazers past the @memgrizz in the Western Conference play-in.
Lillard and the Blazers clinched the West’s No. 8 seed and will play the No. 1 Lakers in the first-round of the playoffs.
📷: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/pw5rCHokSB
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 15, 2020
Prior to the start of the league’s restart, Lillard spoke about his desire to play for a chance at postseason berth.
“Obviously, as players, we want to play, but we want to play for something — especially if we’re in position to play for that in the first place,” Lillard told ESPN in May.
All @Dame_Lillard wanted was a shot at the postseason. 😏
"We want to play, we just want to play for something,” Lillard told ESPN in May. https://t.co/N8bPKyDPA5
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 15, 2020
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Led by Lillard, the Blazers had four players score 20 points or more.
C.J. McCollum poured in 29 points.
Jusuf Nurkic recorded a double-double with 22 points and 21 rebounds.
Carmelo Anthony added 21 points.
RIP CITY, WE MADE IT! pic.twitter.com/jcZliq1bRa
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) August 15, 2020
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Portland finished the game shooting 45.2 percent overall and 37.5 percent from downtown.
The Grizzlies were led by rookie guard Ja Morant’s career-high 35 points.
With the win, the Blazers clinched a postseason berth for the seventh consecutive season. Portland will play the West’s No. 1 seed Los Angeles Lakers during the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
The 2020 NBA Playoffs First Round Schedule! #WholeNewGame pic.twitter.com/pcJrY5SBxr
— NBA (@NBA) August 15, 2020
The Blazers and Lakers will open their series on Tuesday, August 18 at 7 p.m. (MDT). The game will broadcast on TNT.
