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Best of the Season, Part XII: Dame Time in Phoenix extends winning streak

PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 24: The Portland Trail Blazers bench celebrates after Damian Lillard
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 24: The Portland Trail Blazers bench celebrates after Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard scored 19 of his game-high 40 points in the final quarter of a barn burner against the Suns in Phoenix.

The Phoenix Suns were not good in 2017-2018.

This is an understatement.

To speak the plain truth: The Phoenix Suns were the worst team in the NBA this season. They finished with a 21-61 record — and they’ll have the first pick in the June draft.

And yet, despite that horrible resume, the Suns gave the Portland Trail Blazers all they could handle during a late February tilt at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix.

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The game

Portland emerged victorious, winning 106-104. But it took some late-game heroics from Damian Lillard to pull victory from the jaws of defeat.

It was one of the Blazers’ best games of the season, even though it was against the lowly Suns. Not only did it mean Portland had won three straight; it meant they’d swept the season series from Phoenix. And it’s always tough to win on the road in the NBA, no matter the opponent.

But what made this game special — one of the best of the year — was Lillard’s sparkling performance.

Blazers-Suns

Portland was in the early stages of its 13-game winning streak, having dispatched the Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz for wins one and two of the streak. They arrived in Phoenix with a 33-26 record.

As we wrote at the time:

"After Friday night’s impressive and inspiring victory against the Utah Jazz, it would have been natural for the Portland Trail Blazers to have a bit of a letdown one night later against the lowly Phoenix Suns. After all, Portland had already beaten the Suns three times this season, including a historic, season-opening 124-76 beatdown back on Oct. 18. Letdown? Um, yeah, no."

Of course, that was written with the benefit of hindsight. Considering that Portland was down 81-71 entering the fourth quarter (after getting pummelled 31-16 in the third), it certainly seemed like the Blazers were on the verge of a letdown.

But then Lillard did this, and suddenly it was Dame Time:

Lillard

Lillard scored 19 points in the fourth quarter, almost singlehandedly winning the game for Portland. He finished with a mondo stat line: 40 points, 10 rebounds, five assists.

But it was the final 12 minutes — and the final 12 seconds — of the game that people will remember.

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The score was tied 104-104.

Lillard with the ball.

Here’s how it went down:

Great players often make the spectacular look routine. And this driving, game-winning layup is a perfect case in point. From a bird’s-eye view, it may not look like much — but it was truly impressive, as NBC Sports Northwest’s Jason Quick pointed out:

Final score: Blazers 106, Suns 104.

Another amazing performance from Lillard — Portland’s First Team All-NBA dynamo.

And one of the best games of the season.