The Portland star, who scored 50 points in a comeback against New Orleans, stole the show with Sally Clutch and an exciting interview with Shaquille O'Neal: "I was never the most respected or best player, and I will never forget all the way I went."
Damian Lilliard.
Mr. Clutch
Photo:
AFP
It's Damien Lillard's time.
The Portland star swept his team to a dramatic 124: 125 early Wednesday morning at the expense of New Orleans, which already led safely with a 17-point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter.
Whoever was responsible for the Blazers' big comeback was Lillard who led a 7:27 run with 18 points in the clutch.
And if that wasn’t enough, the teenage star scored a marvelous stat line of 50 points (18 of 18 from penalties), 10 assists and also two successful free throws, a second and a half to end the contest.
Babo is THE MVP !!!
@Dame_Lillard
- Jusuf Nurkić (@ bosnianbeast27) March 17, 2021
Lillard, who averages 44 points in the last two games and in the last five games has not dropped a 25-point score, leads the league in points in money-time (124) and holds a perfect penalty percentage (100%) in clutch moments.
The exciting star also equaled LeBron James on the list of players who scored at least 50 points and recorded the round of points for the 12th time in his career.
"I know what it's like to be unknown and to not have the lights on you and to want to be seen ..."
This was incredible from @Dame_Lillard pic.twitter.com/AXNEZt4A9m
- ESPN (@espn) March 17, 2021
At the end of the game, the humble star turned to an exciting interview as well as to Shaquille O'Neal, an interview that Drymond Green defined: "Amazing and instructive."
"Nothing I did was possible without the hard work I put in along the way," Lillard said. "I was never the most respected or the best actor, not in middle school, not in high school, not in colleges. I just had to do my work behind the scenes. "I had to earn my place. I never knew if I was going to get the credit for what I was doing."
Congrats to @Dame_Lillard of the @trailblazers for moving into tied for 7th in all-time 50-point games!
pic.twitter.com/DbYjwRb3f6
- NBA (@NBA) March 17, 2021
"I did not know if the day would come when I would reap the fruits of my labor. I know what it is like to be anonymous, what it is like to want someone to notice you, to long for someone to give you a college scholarship. I never forget the steps I took along the way until I got to where I am. In it today. "
Lillard continued with the moving monologue: "It's true that I have money today, I have a family and I accept all this publicity, but I do not forget what made it all possible. The work, the discipline, the modesty and all the passion. The whole package I bring as a person , Help me get this far. If I forget it, if I run away from where I started, I will do injustice to me and everyone around me. My path has brought many successes, so I have no intention of becoming satiated and running away from my identity.
"I make sure to stay true to my truth, and as I do it and keep going my own way, things keep coming. So I do it even more and it proves itself time and time again."