PORTLAND, Ore. — Damian Lillard invited a few people to his home for dinner on Monday night to watch Game 4 of the first-round series between the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets.

For several minutes, the Portland Trail Blazers’ star guard sat quietly on his sofa, chowing down on fried catfish, red beans and rice, and broccoli. And then suddenly, he spoke: “I’m getting rid of these mother------- tomorrow.”

And Lillard did just that Tuesday night, scoring 50 points on 17-of-33 shooting (10-of-18 on threes) and hitting a series-clinching, 37-foot 3-pointer with no time remaining to beat the Thunder 118-115 and eliminate them in five games.

Lillard had enjoyed competing on the big stage against the Oklahoma City Thunder — especially fellow stars Russell Westbrook and Paul George.

But along the way, he grew tired of the self-absorbed antics of Westbrook and the Thunder.

Much of the chatter during the series was about how Lillard was destroying the Thunder’s defensive scheme — and most notably, Westbrook. The two even engaged in a war of words on occasion.

It became personal for one of them.

Damian Lillard soaks in the moment after his game-winning and series-clinching shot Tuesday night in Portland. (Getty Images) More

Dealing with Russell Westbrook

Following successful contested jump shots over Lillard, Westbrook would occasionally trot back on defense making the “rock the baby” gesture.

For Lillard, it was not warranted, but he didn’t view it as crossing the line.

“He was doing that on jump shots,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “That’s not when you’re supposed to rock the baby. You rock the baby after overpowering someone in the post. He had one layup in the post on me. Look it up. I’ll live with his jump shots. He wasn’t rocking no baby on me.”

After Westbrook scores on a player, he often gets animated, shouting and showing up opponents, and this series was no exception.

“I’m not even paying attention to it,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “But when I do see it, that’s cool. He does it every game, so it doesn’t bother me. I don’t celebrate in someone’s face and try to disrespect my opponent. But if a team calls a timeout, I’ll go acknowledge the crowd and celebrate with my teammates as I’m going to the bench. I’m not going to say some wild s---. I think with him, he’s pounding his chest and talking s--- and that’s what gets him going. That’s the difference between us.”

As Lillard sits on his sofa, he’s fixated on how the Rockets are allowing Donovan Mitchell to get loose in the fourth quarter of Utah’s eventual 107-91 win. On one defensive possession, Chris Paul tried to slow the second-year guard down, and that’s when the conversation returned to the Thunder.

Lillard showed a social-media clip of him telling Westbrook, “Stop running from this ass whoopin’,” as Lillard grew weary of Westbrook switching off him, while Lillard continued to be Westbrook’s primary defender.

And what came out of Westbrook’s mouth during a few of his post-basket outbursts was the B-word, something most players wouldn’t dismiss without an altercation.

“The way I see it, it’s basketball,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “I know I ain’t no b-----ass mother------; so it doesn’t bother me.

“I’m not out here to prove to these dudes that I’m the hardest mother------ in the league because they cussed at me on the court. But they know where I’m from and what I’m about. This Oakland. But I don’t take s--- personal. My goal is to get the win.”

The series reaches that point

As the Thunder were on the verge of wrapping up Game 3 last Friday, a pivotal contest they desperately needed to extend the series, they perhaps enjoyed their first (and only) win of the series a little too much.

Dennis Schroder taunted Lillard by imitating his “Dame Time” motion, and George received the ball up the court and went in for a reverse dunk at the buzzer with the Thunder up 12.

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