Trail Blazers' Lillard scores franchise-record 71 points in win over Rockets

The celebration surrounding Damian Lillard's record-breaking performance was short-lived.

Lillard set franchise and career marks with 71 points — tied for the most in the NBA this season — and 13 3-pointers in the Portland Trail Blazers' 131 -114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

But soon after the streamers fell to the court and the crowd headed for the exits, Lillard was summoned for a drug test. Turns out, the seven-time all-star who's unafraid of taking a three-pointer from half court is afraid of needles.

"I know I've got a lot of tattoos, but when you're doing a blood draw, it's different from tattoos. It brought me down from here to the floor," Lillard said gesturing with his hand raised then dropping it.

And Lillard got tested on the night he tied Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell for the most points in a game this season after Mitchell also scored 71 in a win over Chicago on Jan. 2. His 13 three-pointers were also one shy of the NBA record set by Golden State's Klay Thompson in 2018. Thompson's Warriors teammate Stephen Curry (2016) and Chicago's Zach LaVine (2019) also made 13 threes.

Lillard broke his own franchise mark of 61 points, which he'd done twice, on a three-pointer with 4:42 left that also topped his previous career record for threes, which was 11.

2nd-most 3PM in a game in NBA history (13)<br>8th player to score 70+ PTS in a single game (71)<br>The first player in NBA history with 70+ PTS, 5+ REB, 5+ AST and 10+ 3PM in a single game...<br><br>What a night for Damian Lillard