Lillard on Sunday had 50 points and 13 assists, becoming the first Portland player with 40-plus points in three straight games, as the Trail Blazers beat the Indiana Pacers 139-129 on a day marked by grief over the death of the NBA great. “I think it was the right decision for us to go out there and compete today in his honor. McCollum returned after a three-game absence because of an ankle injury and added 28 points for the Blazers (20-27). That’s just the way he played the game,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. A former coach of the Trail Blazers, McMillan recalled how Bryant once scored 65 points against Portland.
