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Damian Lillard

'Are y'all serious?': Damian Lillard puts NBA on blast for drug test following 71-point game

Dame Time is also blood draw time?

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard went off Sunday night, dropping 71 points in a 131-114 victory against the Houston Rockets but was displeased about his having to be drug tested following the game.

Lillard's scoring outburst set a Portland franchise record and a personal best and also tied Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell for most points scored in a single game this season in the NBA. Lillard's previous career high was 61 points, which he had set twice.

Lillard, 32, tied Mitchell, Elgin Baylor (1960) and David Robinson (1994) for the eighth-most points scored in a game in NBA history.

RELATED:Retired star J.J. Watt laughs off NFL staffer's request for random drug test

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Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after the victory against the Houston Rockets at Moda Center.

Here's everything you need to know about the situation.

What did Damian Lillard say about being drug tested after his 71-point performance?

"I mean, honestly, I was like, 'Are y'all serious?' " Lillard said Sunday during his post-game news conference. "I did the urine test yesterday and they backed it up with the blood draw tonight after the game and it was actually the first time in my career being tested after a game. And then, aside from that, they know that I'm scared of needles.

"I know I’ve got a lot of tattoos, but when you’re doing a blood draw, it’s different from tattoos," Lillard continued, before gesturing from above his head and then dropping his hand. "It brought me down from here to the floor."

What does the collective bargaining agreement stipulate about the NBA's random drug testing protocol?

According to Section 6 of the Anti-Drug Program outlined in the collective bargaining agreement, a player "shall be required to undergo testing for Prohibited Substances at any time, without prior notice to the player, no more than four (4) times each Season and no more than two (2) times during each Off-Season." 

Players will be tested "according to a random player selection procedure by a third-party organization" and that neither the league, the union, any team or any player "will have any involvement" in selecting the player who will be tested or will receive prior notice. 

Section 14 of the Anti-Drug Program indicates that players may also face random HGH blood testing "at any time ... no more than two (2) times each Season and no more than one (1) time during each Off-Season." The selection process is the same as indicated above. The only difference in protocol is that blood draws must take place after a game is played, if a player is selected for random testing on a day he is scheduled to play

How did Damian Lillard go about scoring 71 points against the Rockets?

Lillard, who is fresh off his winning the league's 3-point contest over the All-Star break, converted 13 3-pointers, which was one shy of Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson's record set in 2018. Lillard made 22 of his 38 shot attempts Sunday night, including 13 of 22 from beyond the arc. He made all 14 of his free-throw attempts.

By halftime, Lillard had already poured in 41 points, including eight 3-pointers, a career high in a half and the most points in a half for any player in the league this season.

Contributing: Associated Press

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