Damian Lillard Joins Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan With 50-Point Series-Clinching Performance
Damian Lillard drilled a 37-foot shot from deep over Oklahoma City's Paul George on Tuesday night to secure a spot in the Western Conference semifinals as he capped off a 50-point performance and set a Blazers single-game playoff record.
Portland's star joins just two other players to have dropped 50 in a series-clinching win in the last 50 years: Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Barkley dropped 56 in the first round of the 1994 Western Conference Playoffs to get the Suns past the Golden State Warriors in a series sweep. Phoenix was then eliminated by the eventual NBA champion Rockets in the next round.
Jordan scored 56 two years prior during the 1992 playoffs as the Bulls beat the Heat on a three-game sweep in Miami's playoff debut.
Barkley and Jordan's 56-point performances tied for the third-most in NBA playoff history.
