CJ McCollum carried the load in the other winner-take-all NBA playoff game on Sunday night, as the Portland Trail Blazers also won a tight game seven over the Denver Nuggets 100-96.
CJ McCollum sinks the game-clinching jumper in #PhantomCam!#RipCity #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/KOJhEyZROe
— NBA (@NBA) May 12, 2019
Portland rallied on the back of McCollum’s 37 points to stun the Nuggets in Denver and book a Western Conference finals date with NBA champions Golden State Warriors.
NBA Playoffs: CJ McCollum and the Portland Trailblazers came back from 17 down to beat the Denver Nuggets and advance to the Western Conference Semifinalshttps://t.co/LYqf360ZDF pic.twitter.com/gxnTmLIDY1
— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) May 12, 2019
With Portland star Damian Lillard struggling to get shots to fall, Denver exploded out of the gates, seizing a 29-17 first-quarter lead that they stretched to as much as 17 in the second period.
McCollum kept the Blazers in it, his driving basket giving them their first lead of the game, 71-70 with 12 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Nuggets had reduced a seven-point deficit to one when McCollum drained a step-back jumper with 12.4 seconds left to stretch Portland’s lead to 98-95.
đź‘Ź @CJMcCollum pours in 37 PTS and comes up clutch late, helping the @trailblazers take Game 7 and advance to the Western Conference Finals! #RipCity #NBAPlayoffs
Game 1: Tuesday (5/14), 9pm/et, ESPN pic.twitter.com/1g447gru2n
— NBA (@NBA) May 12, 2019
Evan Turner, who scored just four points in the first six games of the series, scored 10 of his 14 in the fourth quarter for Portland.
After Nikola Jokic’s last-gasp three-point attempt hit the rim Turner grabbed the rebound and the clock ran down.
Despite the third-quarter departure of Rodney Hood with a hyperextended knee, Portland booked their first trip to the conference finals since 2000.
They’ll open their best-of-seven series against the Warriors on Tuesday with a place in the NBA finals on the line.
Damian Lillard’s clutch steal and triple earns your Heads Up Play of the Day! pic.twitter.com/OdrLXzPnzv
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 13, 2019
Despite his shooting woes, Lillard contributed with 10 rebounds and eight assists to go with his 13 points. He connected on just three of 17 shots from the floor — but that included two three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
“I think for us the biggest thing was just to take it one possession at a time,” McCollum said. “We came out a little tight defensively … Our biggest thing was just one stop at a time, one possession at a time.”
There will officially be a showdown between the Golden State @Warriors and Portland @trailblazers in the Western Conference Finals. 🔥 https://t.co/LcuNZfqWw9
— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) May 12, 2019
Jokic led Denver with 29 points. Jamal Murray had 14 points on four-of-18 shooting.
❤️ @Dame_Lillard with a Mother’s Day hug for mom following the GAME 7 WIN! #PhantomCam #HappyMothersDay #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/7A8tLapjpH
— NBA (@NBA) May 12, 2019