Damian Lillard Becomes the Second-Best Scorer in Trail Blazers’ History

The Portland Trail Blazers are really looking good this season. Terry Scotts’ crew is currently in the hunt for the third place in the Western Conference, and they have nice prospects of reaching that spot at the end of the season.

Last night’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center, was one of the most important for them in the recent few weeks. They needed to win, and confirm that they successfully overcame the small crisis from some ten days ago. Back then, the Blazers recorded straight losses against the Grizzlies and the Thunder.

And they did so, by knocking out the big rival with 122-110.

Since those two failures, Portland recorded three wins, and they can enter tonight’s clash against the Spurs relaxed.

Yet, the win in Lousiana was important because of something else also.

Damian Lillard became the second-best scorer in Trail Blazers history. Big Dame Game, scored 24 points against the Pelicans, and jumped over LaMarcus Aldridge who scored 12,562 points during his stint in Oregon.

The moment @dame_lillard became 2nd on our all-time scoring list 🙌🙌🙌 pic.twitter.com/z0jiO0RMI8

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) March 16, 2019

At the moment, Lillard has 12,584 buckets.

He was very proud of this accomplishment. But the Trail Blazers’ guard already has another goal when it comes to personal landmarks. He wants to be the No.1.

“To move up the list with such a great organization, so many great players that came before me and to move up again is an honor,” Lillard said. “One more person to go.”

That one person is none other than Clyde Drexler, who is still far away from the 28-year old. The Glide has 18,040 points and is 5,456 buckets ahead of Lillard.

With the career average at 23.5 points per game, the rough assessments are saying that Lillard needs to keep pounding three more seasons with the same pace before reaching one of the best guards in the history of the game.

Back in November in an interview for one local media, the Blazers’ leader spoke about his intention to become the best player in franchise history, which also meant for him to catch Drexler.

“My thing is, I want to be the best Trail Blazer period, the best Blazer ever,” Lillard told back in November. “I want to be the best player that’s come through here, that’s had the most impact. And when I say it, of course, I want to be the all-time leading scorer, the all-time leader in assists.”

Still, he didn’t mean to offend anyone with his confident attitude. When mentioning Drexler after the last night’s game, Lillard expressed his admiration and respect for the greatest player who wore Portland’s jersey.

“He was a leaper, good defender, good size,” Lillard said of Drexler. “He was, after Jordan, the next (best) thing as a two guard. And playing for the same organization as he did, and chasing him down, trying to be the next guy to do that, is special for me.”

He even admitted that he often plays NBA2K with the Glide.

As we said at the beginning of the article, the Trail Blazers are doing well this season. Right now they sit at place No.4 in the West with 42 wins and 26 losses, just half a game behind the Houston Rockets who have one triumph more and the same number of defeats.

Behind them is the Oklahoma City Thunder 42-27, and right now these boys are participating in one very interesting race for that third place.

All eyes are pointed towards Lillard who is the undisputed leader of this assembly. But unlike the previous years, when he and CJ McCollum had to do everything on their own, the Blazers now have more options in both directions.

Jusuf Nurkic emerged as one of the best centers in the league, Rodney Hood was acquired in a trade with the Cavaliers, and the organization hit the jackpot on that one, while Enes Kanter assessed that the best place for him to continue his NBA career is Moda Center. Along with the previously formed core, Portland now has a respectable roster, who can make huge noise in the postseason.

Lillard will for sure become the best scorer in Blazers history, but he might also be the guy who landed the second title here.

That would no make him the No.1 Blazer ever, no doubt about that.