The New York Knicks had no answer for Dame Lillard.
The Portland Trail Blazers’ assassin torched the Moda Center with 39 points, sending the Knicks away with a two-game losing streak after Portland’s 116-113 victory Sunday evening.
Lillard was on fire from tipoff, hitting his first eight shots as the Blazers built a 25-point lead by the fourth quarter. The Knicks (8-10) were again scrappy enough to make Portland sweat, cutting the deficit to 5 midway through the fourth quarter and then to 3 in the final moments. But they never got closer because Portland hit 10 straight free throws in the final 30 seconds.
The daggers were Lillard’s foul shots with five seconds left.
RJ Barrett pulled off a disappearing act for the Knicks, scoring just eight points over 23 minutes and watched from the bench down the stretch. Immanuel Quickley was New York’s best offensive threat, erupting in the second half to lead the ultimately futile comeback. The rookie point guard finished with a career-high 29 points while shooting 5-for-8 from beyond the arc.
Julius Randle was typically solid for New York with 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
The Blazers (9-6) hadn’t played in six days because two of their games were postponed due to COVID-19 contact tracing.
The Knicks, who were coming off a humbling defeat at Sacramento, were dissected from tipoff by the Blazers, who led by as many as 14 in the first quarter, 21 in the second and 25 in the third. Still, New York managed to cut the deficit to 12 heading into the final period.
The Blazers didn’t have their No. 2, CJ McCollum, who is out at least a month with a fractured foot. It didn’t matter. Lillard (11-for-17 shooting with eight assists) picked them apart.
He penetrated and dished and shot lights out. Elfrid Payton, the Knicks’ starting point guard, was overmatched. Lillard was perfect in the first half, scoring 18 points on 5-of-5 shooting (including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc). Lillard didn’t miss until his ninth shot.
“This is the NBA, guys are really good,” Payton said. “No one’s really stopping anybody by their self. So every night coach talks about it, this is something y’all know, it’s never just an individual matchup. ... It’s going to take a team effort to help that guy with that matchup.”
Frank Ntilikina recovered from a knee sprain and was available for the first time since December. But he logged a DNP. Reggie Bullock was out with a sore neck and was replaced in the lineup by Alec Burks, who shot well in the first half and finished with 18 points.
Portland locked into a zone defense in the first half and stifled the Knicks, who aren’t equipped with many shooters. Anthony, the former Knicks All-Star, struggled against his former team, shooting just 3-for-14 while coming off the bench for Portland. Still, Anthony hit four clutch free throws in the final minute.
“He’s had an unbelievable career, an all-time great Knick,” Thibodeau said about Anthony. “And the fact that he’s still going speaks volumes about who he is. His career speaks for itself. A high-character guy, represented himself well. Had a chance to be around him some with Team USA when he would come in and visit. So I’ve gotten to know him over the years and he’s accomplished quite a bit.”
