Damian Lillard tops Trail Blazers’ single-game scoring record: Who are the others?
By Ryan Gaskin
T5. Andre Miller
Now this, this was a proper old-school, Greg Popovich, pick the analytics era up and get them the hell out of here type of game.
Andre Miller, in his first season as a Blazer, went for an impressive 52 points vs the Dallas Mavericks, in which Portland went on to win 114-112 in OT. Miller also hit a game-tying hook shot at the end of the 4th, sending the game into an extra 5 minutes.
Miller shot- cover your eyes analytics Twitter — 21-30 from two-point range, and shot just one three, which he made. Miller had that stiff-looking jumper working all night long, as he terrorized the Mavs from mid-range.
Miller was part of an impressive 2010 Portland team that finished No. 3 in the West, and this game was definitely his highlight. His hook-shot over Shawn Marion with 18 seconds to play signified his entire evening; it seemed like everything was dropping for him.
Miller lasted just two seasons in Portland before being involved in the Raymond Felton trade in 2011 (shudders), but certainly left his mark on the history books here.
T5. Brandon Roy
Now, a top 5 list containing Portland Trail Blazers’ records wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Brandon Roy. Please don’t see it as me saying Miller’s game was better than Roy’s, as RipCity, I promise you I was saving the best till last.
Brandon Roy is simply an all-timer in PDX, and I was incredibly sad to read the other day that Roy wasn’t sure if Portland fans would remember him. Roy will always be a legend here, and games like this one is why.
In one of the most absurd stat-lines in Portland history, Roy dropped 52 on 27 shots, and added 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 5 three’s to his total. The Blazers took out a talented Phoenix Suns team that contained Shaq, Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudamire, but the Blazers started Roy, Aldridge and Greg Oden too, and as Portland fans know, they didn’t lose much when these three played together.
Roy was everywhere that night. He dominated from all over the floor, hit a three-pointer to take the lead with a minute to spare, and then iced the game with a pair of clutch free-throws.
His injuries will forever a sore topic amongst Blazer fans, but one thing is for sure, his legend will always live on, and PDX will never forget what Brandon Roy brought to the table.