Damian Lillard Stars in the Return of Rip City

03 May, 2014

Damian Lillard couldn’t believe when he got a clear look at the rim. With the final buzzer about to sound, he took his shot.

“I got my feet squared up and it felt real good leaving my hands,” Portland’s point guard said. “Once I saw it on line, I said, `That’s got a chance.'”

Lillard’s shot fell and the Trail Blazers stunned the Houston Rockets 99-98 to take their playoff series in six games and advance to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time in 14 years.

In the frenzied postgame celebration, Lillard took the public address microphone and shouted “Rip City!” The hometown crowd roared.

Portland, making its first playoff appearance since 2011, had been eliminated in the first round in its last six trips, and hadn’t advanced to the second round since 2000.

Dwight Howard made four consecutive free throws to tie the game at 91 before making a bank shot that put Houston ahead with 3:04 to go. Robin Lopez scored on a tip shot to give the Blazers a 94-93 lead with 2:15 left, setting up a wild finish.

Howard’s layup and foul shot put the Rockets back up 96-94 before Nicolas Batum’s fadeaway jumper tied it again with 39.9 seconds left. Chandler Parsons scored on a reverse layup with 0.9 seconds left to give Houston the lead.

Lillard prevented the series from going back to Houston with his 3-pointer as time ran out. He finished with 25 points.

The Trail Blazers said Lillard is the first player to make a buzzer-beating shot to win a playoff series since John Stockton’s 3 that led Utah over Houston in 1997’s Western Conference finals, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“He made a hell of a shot,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said of Lillard.

LaMarcus Aldridge led the Blazers with 30 points and 13 rebounds. He averaged 29.8 points during the series.

AP

Image Craig Mitchelldyer / USA TODAY Sports

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