A blowout loss on his home floor to clinch a sweep for the opposition is probably not how Damian Lillard envisioned his 2016-17 campaign coming to an end.
Regardless, the Portland Trail Blazers point guard gave it his all against the powerhouse Golden State Warriors in their opening-round matchup, and the hometown fans at Moda Center showed their appreciation for his efforts with a standing ovation as he exited Game 4 on Monday.
Lillard played every minute prior to being yanked midway through the fourth quarter. He scored a team-high 34 points on 12-of-24 shooting, drilled a couple of shots from behind the arc, and dished out six assists in 41 minutes of action.
In the three games prior, the 26-year-old averaged 25.7 points and 5.7 rebounds, although he converted just 40.9 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from deep.