Damian Lillard sends the Rockets home
The Blazers followed up Lillard’s playoff debut with another win, before dropping two of the next three to bring the series against the Rockets to 3-2. With momentum now on the Rockets side, Portland desperately needed to win game six in the Moda Center. Dropping the next game would mean a do-or-die game seven in the Toyota Center.
The series was one for the books, including multiple 30-point games for Damian Lillard and James Harden, two 40-pieces for LaMarcus Aldridge, and a series average of 26 points per night for Dwight Howard.
Game six was no different than how the rest of the series had gone up to that point. Both teams were evenly matched throughout the series and the night. While neither team led by more than 10 at any point, the Rockets had the upper hand for most of the game.
The two teams battled evenly; no quarter ended with more than a two-point lead. The Blazers and Rockets continued to trade punches in the fourth quarter. The lead changed hands five times with neither team leading by more than four at any point.
With just 28 seconds left and the game tied at 96 a piece, the Rockets took their final timeout of the night. After a missed middy from James Harden, Chandler Parsons grabs the offensive rebound and put it back in to take the lead and potentially force a game seven. Then, with less than a second before the final buzzer, Damian Lillard did this:
Coming off two screens, Dame catches the ball with .9 seconds on the clock and drills an off-balance, 30-footer to send the Houston Rockets packing. This was one of the greatest shots in Portland Trail Blazer and NBA league history. With that shot, Lillard secured the Blazers first series victory in 14 years.