Rylan Driver 
Damian Lillard, a professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association , scored a career-high 71 points in a game against the Houston Rockets on February 26, 2023. Lillard’s 71-point game was the third-highest individual point total in NBA history, behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962 and Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in 2006. Lillard’s performance helped lead the Blazers to a 131-114 victory over the Rockets
8 Days before scoring the 71 points, Lillard scored 26 points, including the game-winner to push his team past the target score as Team Giannis ended LeBron James’ hold on All-Star captain supremacy by beating Team LeBron 184-175 in the NBA’s annual showcase exhibition on Sunday night. As an addition to his 71 points, he finished the game with six rebounds, six assists, while shooting 22-for-38 from the field, including 13-for-22 from beyond the arc. He was also a perfect 14-for-14 from the charity stripe.
After the game was over he had to do a drug test, he said, “Honestly, I was like are y’all serious?” “I did the urine test Saturday and they backed it up with the blood draw after the game Sunday. That was actually the first time in my career getting tested after a game.” Some people say Damian is one of the most underrated guards in the NBA.
