Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone says the team is “aware” Portland Trail Blazers star point guard Damian Lillard could score 50 points in Game 6 on Thursday.
The Blazers are at home and their season is on the line. The Nuggets have done a pretty good job of containing Lillard in this series, but Malone knows Lillard could go off at any second.
“He’s capable of scoring 50 in Game 6 and we’re well aware of that,” Malone said, via Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “We guarded him really well in the regular season, and we’ve guarded him really well in five games now. Like (Blazers coach) Terry (Stotts) said, he’s missed some open shots, but I think you have to give our defense some credit.”




Lillard is averaging 26.2 points against the Nuggets through five games while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and just 25.0 percent from beyond the arc. Lillard put up 33.0 points in the first round versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. He shot 46.1 percent overall and 48.1 percent from the 3-point line.
The Nuggets are throwing a lot of different bodies at Lillard and collapsing on him when he drives to the basket.
Denver will have to contain Lillard in Game 6 one more time if they want to advance to the Western Conference Finals.