Likewise, they struggled at the free throw line, missing 11 shots from the charity stripe in a game they lost by just four points. But, of course, their season is now over, thanks in large part to their inability to hit two of the biggest shots in basketball: 3-pointers and free throws.Īfter Jokic hit two triples in the opening few minutes of the game, the Nuggets didn't hit a single 3 the rest of the way, missing 17 straight attempts to close the game, an ironic number considering they blew a 17-point lead along the way. The Nuggets had a 17-point lead in the second quarter of Game 7, and appeared on their way to the Western Conference finals. Collins' ability to space the floor while still holding his own against Jokic was vital for the Blazers with Al-Farouq Aminu and Moe Harkless struggling. He gave them some huge minutes in Game 7, finishing with seven points, five rebounds and four blocks in a solid all-around performance. In the closing seconds, McCollum hit a step-back jumper to give the Blazers a three-point lead, and after some free throws on each side, that was the game.Īs for Collins, he showed why the Blazers are so high on his potential. When McCollum hit a jumper late in the quarter, it gave the Blazers their first lead of the game.įrom there, the fourth quarter was a wild, back-and-forth affair as the two teams traded big baskets time and again. They continued their comeback in the third quarter, getting right back into the game behind CJ McCollum, who was fantastic all night. It not only made things more manageable, but gave them plenty of positive momentum. But the Blazers used a nice run at the end of the half to cut the deficit to nine points. They were up by 12 at the end of the first quarter, and extended that lead to 17 points in the second. This will be Portland's first WCF appearance since 2000.Įarly on, it appeared the Nuggets were going to run the Trail Blazers out of the gym. The Nuggets will await the winner of the Lakers-Suns series in the second round.The Portland Trail Blazers have advanced to the Western Conference finals, thanks to a 100-96 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of their second-round series. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic could also be on the way out if the Trail Blazers look to start from scratch again. Lillard set a playoff record for 3-pointers made in a series, but will face speculation about his future with the franchise after his fifth first-round exit. The Nuggets then went on a 21-7 run to open the fourth and never looked like letting up. Jokic scored 20 points in the third quarter as Denver closed the frame on a 19-8 tear, trailing by three entering the final period. Portland took a 68-61 lead into halftime and went on a run early in the third quarter to open up a 93-79 advantage, but from there it was all Denver. The Trail Blazers then went on a 16-6 run to open up a 63-53 lead in the second quarter. started the game 5-5 from behind the arc to give the Nuggets an early advantage, but Portland found its rhythm to eventually get a 33-29 lead after one. CJ McCollum added 21 points for the Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard led Portland with 28 points, but struggled from the field. added 26 points, all in the first half, as the Denver Nuggets closed out the Portland Trail Blazers 126-115 in Game 6 to win the series 4-2. Nikola Jokic tallied 36 points and Michael Porter Jr.
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