Simple.

That’s how Damian Lillard described his 60-point performance Wednesday night during the Portland Trail Blazers‘s 134-124 win over the Utah Jazz at the Moda Center.

He chose that word not to throw disrespect toward the Utah Jazz, but because he left the game feeling like his performance required less exertion than his three other 60-point performances, which includes two 61-point showings, his career high.

“I think anytime you score 60 points it’s special,” Lillard said. “But I think this one, I just felt like it came pretty simple. I thought I played the game as it should have been played. I knew it was a game that we needed to win. So, I came out with the mentality to attack and be aggressive. But it wasn’t like I just came out on fire. It wasn’t one of those games.”

His previous 60-point nights saw him shoot 45.9%, 53.1% and 57.6% from the field, respectively, while averaging 16.3 made free throws. Wednesday, he hit on 21 of 29 shots for 72.4% and sank 9 of 10 free throws in what StatMuse.com dubbed the most efficient 60-point performance in NBA history.

“That was incredible,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups. “You don’t get to see that very often. A guy scores 60 points and only shoots 10 free throws and makes nine of them … It was just incredible how efficient he was.”

Lillard flashed a big grin upon hearing Statmuse’s declaration.

“That’s crazy,” he said.

Then he pondered the efficiency that got away.

“I’m just sitting here thinking that I had a shot at the end of the shot clock from half court toward the end that I shot,” he said. “It probably would have been a little bit better. And I missed a free throw. Damn.”

Lillard is now tied with Michael Jordan and James Harden for the third most 60-point performances in NBA history. Jordan scored 69, 64 and 61 twice. Harden’s run matches Lillard’s. Kobe Bryant did it six times with a high of 81 points and Wilt Chamberlain reached 60 points on 32 occasions.

Bryant is within striking distance for Lillard.

“I ain’t catching Wilt,” Lillard said. “That’s out.”

The only thing that could have made the evening better for Lillard would have been setting a new career high in scoring. He came close.

Billups knew Lillard was close to his career high before Lillard did.

“That was the only reason I kept him in the game,” Billups said.

When Lillard made two free throws with 1:29 to go that gave the Blazers a 127-113 lead, he knew he had 60 points but figured Billups would take him out.

“He literally didn’t even think about (his career high), which was incredible,” Billups said. “Because if that was me, I would have been shooting.”

Billups told Lillard to stay in the game and at least attempt to break his personal scoring record.

“I was like, ‘OK,’ ” Lillard said.

It appeared as if Utah knew Lillard was close to his personal best because they seemingly began paying even more attention to him even though the game was pretty much over.

As it turned out, Lillard was only able to get off one more shot. A step-back 3-pointer while well defended with 29 seconds remaining. He missed. The Blazers got the ball back with about 16 seconds remaining but Lillard wasn’t about to take another shot.

“I wasn’t going to be that thirsty to come back down with that much time left in the game just to try to get a career high,’ Lillard said. “I didn’t think that was the right thing to do.”

Billups said having a player with Lillard’s scoring prowess is a luxury for any coach. He can win a game virtually by himself. However, at times he influences teammates to spectate rather than play with purpose.

“We defer a lot of times because of his greatness,” Billups said. “Everybody kind of sitting, waiting on Dame to go ahead and take it over and do what he always does. And sometimes it throws us out of rhythm. And that’s just how great he is. And that’s the confidence that everybody has in him. And then sometimes he’s like alright, ‘Nah, y’all go to work.’”

On Wednesday, Lillard said his commitment to moving the ball, keeping his teammates involved (he had eight assists) and primarily taking good shots forced Utah to not overplay him.

“Whatever the right play was, I made that play and in between those times I was making shots,” Lillard said.

Playing efficiently created better opportunities by keeping the defense off balance.

Utah coach Will Hardy said he attempted different strategies to keep Lillard in check.

“We did not do a good enough job on our pickup points on Lillard,” Hardy said. “We were almost double teaming him the entire game and he just found a way to go away from the double and split the double. So, I don’t think we were very detailed in our execution of the double teams. And he is a (heck) of a player. That’s what makes Damian Lillard, Damian Lillard in that it’s easier said than done.”

Lillard said that his other 60-point performances came with more stress while he went after opponents.

“Those were all games that I knew I had to come out and take the other team out, basically,” Lillard said. “And tonight, I knew I had to play well for us to win but I didn’t come in here like, ‘Oh, I’m about to take them out.’ It was just like, take what’s there and I just started getting into a good groove and then I just kept attacking.”

He scored nine points in the first quarter, 17 in the second, 24 in the pivotal third quarter that saw the Blazers build a 102-91 lead. He closed with 10 in the fourth and finished the night having made 9 of 15 threes.

Someone semi-unimpressed with Lillard’s showing was Anfernee Simons.

“Another day in the office for Damian Lillard,” Simons said with a smile. “I told the team, we’re not putting any water on him until he gets 70, 80. I’ve seen him get 60 too many times.”

Fact. Simons was present for all three of Lillard’s prior 60-point games: Nov. 18, 2019, versus Brooklyn (60), Jan. 20, 2020, versus Golden State (61) and Aug. 11, 2020, versus Dallas (61 in the NBA Bubble).

“I mean, 60 is 60,” Simons said. “I’m just saying that I want him to get 70.”

That doesn’t sound quite as simple.