Damian Lillard & Steph Curry Changed The Game With Their Shooting, Says Rick Carlisle
Damian Lillard scored 61 points against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, leading the Trailblazers to victory and keeping their playoff hopes alive. After the game, Lillard told TNT’s Chris Haynes that their work was not done.
“It ain’t nothing I want more,” Lillard told Chris Haynes after the game. “I told you when I first came here, I ain’t come here to waste my time. They gave us a chance to get in like we asked for, and that’s what we’re here to do … our work ain’t done yet, but we’re fighting for it.”
He also stated that Thursday’s game against the Nets, is the most crucial game of their lives.
“That’s the most important game of our lives,” Lillard said. “Tonight was great. We said we need one win. We’re going to focus on one game. We got this one done, and that’s the most important one. We got to finish it out right. We’ve got to come out with the same mentality we had tonight, get the job done. We control our own destiny and we know what we’ve got to do.”
His teammate Carmelo Anthony said he had the best seat in the house during his post-game “I had the best seat in the house, whenever somebody has it going like that all you can do is let him go,” according to AJ McCord.
Before the game, Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle stated that Lillard and Steph Curry had changed the game with their long-ranging shooting. The first shot he hit against us was a 36-foot jump shot with 10 on the shot clock. The range, the accuracy is just something else,” said Carlisle. “When you get guys like him, I mention Steph Curry and a few others who change the game. That is historic stuff, and they are playing with a lot of purpose. Like everyone else, they had close games, and that helps prepare everybody for the playoffs.”
Lillard drilled another long ranch shot against the Mavs tonight that seemed to be a dagger for Dallas down the stretch.
“When I let it go, I shot it real straight…so when it hit back rim and went straight up, I kept watching it.”
During the TNT post-game recap Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade said he would pay top dollar to watch Lillard play.
Landon Buford is an accomplished sports and entertainment journalist based in Richardson, Texas, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, WWE, MLB, and the entertainment industry. Known for delivering high-impact stories and headline-making interviews, Buford has earned a global audience through content that blends insider access with compelling storytelling.
He previously served as director of editorial and brand communications at PlayersTV, where he helped shape the platform’s editorial voice and brand identity. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of LandonBuford.com—an independent outlet with more than 1.6 million views and syndication from major platforms including Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports. Buford’s interviews with stars like Gary Payton, Kevin Durant, Mark Cuban and Chris Paul showcase his talent for meaningful, in-depth conversations.
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