Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard left Detroit pleased with the team’s 110-104 victory over the Pistons, but unhappy with the officiating.
Lillard, who finished with a triple-double, sounded off after the game, saying he felt like the officials allowed Detroit’s defenders to get away with too much physical play. Lillard attempted six free throws — and made six — but they all came in the fourth quarter. He entered the game averaging 9.5 free-throw attempts per game.
“I feel like this was the worst officiating crew we’ve had all season,” Lillard told reporters at Little Caesars Arena. “That’s just the truth. From their body language to their responses to what I was saying to them.”
Lillard, who finished with 31 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, said he expects teams to be physical with him given how aggressive he has been on offense this season.
“I know how much pressure I’ve been putting on defenses,” Lillard said. “So I know I’m gonna get that type of attention. I’m sure they’re watching film and saying, ‘This is the problem.’ And they gotta pick me up full-court and they’re fouling.”
But Lillard said Pistons defenders were regularly reaching while not in legal guarding position. He said he was hit on the head and started bleeding from a knee and an elbow.
At one point, Lillard approach the officials to discuss the situation and, Lillard said, they responded with dismissive facial expressions, which he didn’t appreciate.
“I’m telling them that we’re playing to try to be in the postseason and we’re putting our best effort out there and you’re looking at me like I’m crazy when somebody is smacking me in the face or hitting me in the arm,” Lillard said. “And when we respond wrong, you want to tee somebody up. It was bad, man.”
Lillard said nights like Monday become more frustrating when he knows defenses are out to slow him down and he receives no help from the officials.
“You know teams are gonna try their hardest to stop you,” he said. “So they are going to be physical and give you attention. So when I have the ball in my hands as much as I do, it’s impossible for me to go three quarters and not go to the line when I’m attacking. That’s when it gets frustrating.”
— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook). Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts