MIAMI — The end of a five-game road trip, capped by a back-to-back, is not the usual scenario for someone to have an offensive explosion.
Damian Lillard apparently disagrees.
Lillard scored a season-high 49, tied a career high with nine 3-pointers and carried the Trail Blazers past the Heat 115-104 on Sunday night. He had 16 points after checking in for the final time with 8:26 left, sparking a game-ending 28-18 run.
"I felt good, so in my mind I was like, 'When I get back in the game, I'm just going to take the game over,' " Lillard said. "That's the kind of game I felt I had going."
Lillard made 14 of 21 shots from the field, 9 of 12 3-pointers and all 12 free throws. He checked back in with Miami having cut its deficit to one and immediately scored the next five to help the Trail Blazers move closer to the final Western Conference playoff spot.
"That was one incredible performance," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Portland capped a 4-1 trip and moved within a game of Denver for the West's No. 8 spot. Miami missed a chance to reach .500 for the first time.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS: DeMar DeRozan scored 22 in three quarters, and all five Toronto starters were in double figures as the host Raptors beat the Pacers 116-91. … Pau Gasol scored 22, LaMarcus Aldridge added 18 and the host Spurs rolled to a 118-102 victory over the Kings, snapping a two-game skid. … Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 23, and the host Pistons pulled away from the short-handed Suns for a 112-95 victory. … Robert Covington hit a go-ahead 3-pointer late in the game to lead the host 76ers to a 105-99 win over the Celtics. … Dirk Nowitzki had 23 points and nine rebounds, and the visiting Mavericks beat the Nets 111-104. … Anthony Davis had 28 points and 12 rebounds, and the host Pelicans beat the Timberwolves 123-109.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Hawks forward Paul Millsap will miss at least two more games with a left knee injury, and guard Kent Bazemore is expected to miss at least a week with a bruised right knee. … Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons is scheduled to have season-ending surgery today to repair a partial tear of the medial meniscus in his left knee. … Suns guard Devin Booker sat out with a sore right ankle. … The Timberwolves agreed to terms with forward Omri Casspi, who was waived after one game with the Pelicans after breaking a thumb.