Damian Lillard on Breaking Blazers Record: 'I Wasn't Coming Here to Lose'

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard broke his own single-game franchise record with 61 points in the Blazers' 129-124 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night.

According to Casey Holdahl of the Blazers' official website, Lillard said his primary focus was doing whatever he needed to do in order to come away with a win: "We walked through shootaround and did everything we needed to do. Even when I went home after shootaround, it was just one of those days, when I came here, I wasn't coming here to lose this game and it was as simple as that."

The win was a huge one for a Portland team that has struggled mightily this season after reaching the Western Conference Finals last season.

Portland is now 19-26, which is good for 10th in the Western Conference. The Blazers now trail the Memphis Grizzlies by two games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West as well.

Lillard needed to step up and put the team on his back Monday after back-to-back road losses to the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder, and he did precisely that.

The soon-to-be five-time All-Star went 17-of-37 from the field, 11-of-20 from beyond the arc and 16-of-16 from the free-throw line. He also added 10 rebounds and seven assists with only two turnovers to his line.

Damian Lillard Reel

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Lillard is almost always the Blazers' go-to guy, but he had to play that role to an even greater degree Monday since second-leading scorer C.J. McCollum was out with a sprained ankle.

Golden State is a team Portland should beat, especially if it is going to find a way to make the playoffs this season. Nothing has come easily to the Blazers this season after coming so close to the NBA Finals last season, however.

Lillard is on pace to have his best statistical season and may even be on the fringes of the MVP race depending on whether the Blazers play better down the stretch.

Given how much the Trail Blazers rely on Lillard and his big-time scoring performances, Monday may not be the final time this season that he sets the franchise record for points in a game.

Both Lillard and the Blazers will look to build on Monday's performance Thursday when they host the Mavericks.