J-Speaks: The "Other" Western Conference Semifinal Going Seven

While the Western Conference Semifinal between the back-to-back defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets has grabbed the spotlight, the other Semifinal series between the No. 2 Seeded Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers has been just as exciting, riveting, exceptional and captivating. We have seen both teams win on the opposing team’s home court. We have seen stellar play from the starting backcourt from the guys from “Rip City,” and the continued growth of the inside/outside duo of the boys from the “Mile High City.” This series has also seen the importance of the role players on both teams from a reserve guard acquired at the trade deadline by the Trail Blazers to the play of a former Trail Blazer off the bench for the Nuggets along with the most experience member in terms of postseason games. As the team enter the final game of this series which side will rise to the moment and reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 19 and 10 seasons respectably. 

The Semifinal series is going to a seventh and decisive game because the Trail Blazers, who had lost their last win or go home postseason contest avoided elimination with a 119-108 win in Game 6 on Thursday night versus the upstart Nuggets on ESPN on Thursday night. 

The Trail Blazers starting backcourt of All-Star Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum scored 32 and 30 points respectably and either scored or assisted on 77 of the team’s 119 points in the victory. 

Lillard after a quiet first half, got it going in the third quarter scoring 17 of his game-high 32 points going 6 for 10 from the field, including 3 for 6 from three-point range. 

“I just stayed with it,” Lillard, who finished 11 for 23 from the field, including 6 for 13 from three-point range said after the win to ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth. “Sometimes as a shooter you go through stretches where the shots just not falling and I try not to be one of those guys that starts searching, you know. Start making it more difficult than it is.” 

“I got some clean looks that I hadn’t made over the course of the series. I got some to go tonight. I got rolling a little bit and that’s what it’s about. Just staying the course. Keeping your confidence high and staying aggressive, you know. Not letting the other team give you that look where you’re looking like you’re questioning yourself and second guessing. So, I’ve been trying to stay in attack mode and I got it go tonight.”

As great as they both were in Game 6, head coach Terry Stotts squad’s season would be over if not for the play of reserve guard Rodney Hood, who scored a playoff career-high of 25 points on 8 for 12 shooting off the bench, including going 3 for 4 from three-point range. 

To give a clearer picture on how this series has been a coming out party for the No. 23 overall pick out of Duke by the Utah Jazz in June 2014, he scored a total of 16 points on 23.7 percent shooting in the five-game series victory in the First-Round against the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

He has scored at least 14 points in five of the six games against the Nuggets. 

He was the difference maker in the Trail Blazers 140-137 quadruple overtime win in Game 3 on May 3 on ESPN scoring seven of his 19 points off the bench in the fourth extra session, that included hitting a three-pointer late in the fourth overtime to put his team up 138-136. 

Hood, whose team played in just the second four overtime game in NBA playoff history was a starter for the former four-time defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers when the 2018 Playoffs began but lost his starting spot and refused to check into a blowout victory in the final minutes of a Cavs victory in the Semis against the Raptors. 

“I didn’t give up. I didn’t give up on myself, just kept playing, kept working,” Hood, who was acquired by the Trail Blazers from the Cavs in February. “I had no idea I’d end up in Portland in this type of situation. But to be here, to have my family in the crowd when I saw a lot of sad faces last go-round, to be here is very emotional for me, to be quite frank.” 

Hood performance along with a playoff career-high of 41 points with eight boards and four steals on 16 for 39 from the field including four triples by McCollum and 28 points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals by Lillard gave the Trail Blazers a 2-1 series edge and stretch the Trail Blazers’ winning streak at Moda Center to 12 straight dating back to the regular season. Starting center Enes Kanter had a great performance once again with 18 points, 15 rebounds and three steals, while Maurice Harkless also had a double-double of 15 points, 10 rebounds and two block shots. Reserve second-year forward Zach Collins had eight points and eight rebounds off the bench, while fellow starting forward Al-Farouq Aminu had six points and 12 rebounds. 

The loss by the Nuggets overshadowed another postseason triple-double by first time All-Star and shining star of the 2019 NBA Playoffs not named Kawhi Leonard in Nikola Jokic who had 33 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists on 13 for 25 from the field, including 4 for 7 from three-point range in 65 minutes.  

To put into context how well he has performed for head coach Michael Malone’s team in their first postseason appearance since 2013, this was Jokic’s third triple-double of the postseason and as mentioned he did it in 65 minutes of work, which was the fourth most in NBA playoff history. 

Nuggets starting lead guard Jamal Murray had 34 points on 14 for 32 from the field with nine rebounds and five assists in 55 minutes.  

That heavy workload eventually took its toll as Jokic missed a critical free throw and Murray had a key late turnover in the final seconds of the third overtime which led to Lillard tying the game at 129-129 on a driving layup. 

While the Nuggets went down in a classic, the eighth youngest team ever to reach the postseason showed no fear, especially Jokic, who was challenged by Coach Malone this past off-season, which ESPN color analyst Doris Burke mentioned during the Game 3 broadcast. 

“Keep in mind if Mike Malone does not challenge him a year ago and say, ‘Change you body and change your level of conditioning,’ he’s not able to play and give the kind of effort he did,” Burke said to Scott Van Pelt on the early morning May 3 edition of ESPN’s “Sportscenter.” 

“The effort that you saw at the end of the fourth overtime was the way this game started and it wasn’t pretty to start. There was a lot of turnovers and sloppy play, but these men on both sides poured their heart and soul from the opening tip. There’s nothing like NBA Playoff basketball. It was a privilege to sit courtside and call this.” 

Two Nuggets that specifically laid it all out there in the Game 3 loss were veterans in swingman Will Barton and forward Paul Millsap. 

Barton, who had been struggling in the playoffs coming into Game 3 broke out in a major way with 22 points, nine rebounds, three block shots and two steals, while Millsap registered the second of three double-doubles in succession with 17 points and 13 rebounds with three steals and two blocks in 49 minutes. 

As they did in the opening round against the five-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, the Nuggets bounced back with a 116-112 at the Trail Blazers in Game 4 on TNT two nights later to tie the series at 2-2. 

“I think to confidence of doing the same thing in the First-Round against San Antonio helped us, “Coach Malone, whose team was a league best 12-1 in the back end of back-to-backs during the regular season and 13-3 in games decided by three points or less said during his postgame presser after Game 4. “But our guys stepped up. We’re never afraid. We stayed together and I can’t speak enough about the resiliency and toughness of our team.”

Murray led the way scoring 34 points again on 10 for 20 shooting, including 11 for 11 from the free throw line. Jokic had his fourth triple-double of the postseason with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Millsap had another double-double of 21 points and 10 boards with two blocks. Gary Harris scored 14 points and Barton had 11 off the bench. 

Murray showed his intestinal fortitude overcoming a critical turnover following some half court pressure from McCollum in the third overtime of Game 3 to go 6 for 6 from the free throw line in the closing seconds of Game 4 to keep the Trail Blazers at bay. 

“I love free throws. Everybody knows I love free throws,” Murray, who has eight games this postseason scoring 20 or more said to NBA on TNT’s Dennis Scott after the win. “So, my teammates trusted me to get me the ball in that situation and I was able to knock them down.” 

He added about the consistent play and leadership of Millsap, who in Game 6 played in his 100^th career playoff game, “He was huge. Like I said, he’s been the MVP for a while now of our team…. When Joker [Jokic] goes out and we have no scoring he goes in there, brings everybody together and is strong for everybody. So, we need him.”  

The Nuggets also needed to play with more urgency at the defensive end, which they did Game 4 outscoring the Trail Blazers 27-14 in the third quarter and turned a six-point halftime deficit (63-57) into a seven-point lead entering the fourth period. 

They especially put the clamps on reserve guard Seth Curry, who had 14 of his playoff career-high 16 points first half points in the second quarter hitting four three-pointers but was held scoreless in the second half. 

In a series where the Nuggets and the Trail Blazers were separated by just two total points (464-462) in favors of the Denver, they posted a dominant win in Game 5 124-98 on Tuesday night on TNT, taking a 3-2 series lead. 

Jokic led the way again with 25 points and franchise record-tying 19 rebounds, with six assists on 10 for 18 from the field. Millsap had 24 points, eight rebounds and two more block shots. Murray had 18 points and nine assists, while Harris scored 16. Barton and Malik Beasley each had 10 points off the bench. 

While the Nuggets authored another offensive masterpiece, it was their defense that told the story in this one holding the Trail Blazers to 36.7 shooting, including 10 for 37 from three-point range. They outrebounded the visitors 70-54; held them to two fast break points; out shot them at the free throw line going 28 for 31 to their 16 for 30 and outscored them in the paint 66-44. 

To put what the Nuggets did in Game 5 defensively into clearer context, the Trail Blazers starters of Lillard, McCollum, Harkless, Aminu and Kanter entered the game averaging 89.3 points. That starting quintet scored a total of 49 points. 

“Defensively I think we did a pretty good job of taking them out of what they want to do,” Millsap said after the win. “Offensively I think they tried a few things, you know, switched a few things up. We read them pretty quickly. But mostly importantly I think guys were locked in today. I think that’s the most important thing.” 

“Knowing the situation and going into this game, knowing we got to get it. I think that’s the most important thing for us.” 

The Trail Blazers knew the situation as well and responded properly themselves taking the down the Nuggets back at home 119-108 as mentioned earlier in Game 6, putting on display the kind of resiliency that has carried them from the end of the regular season to this point in the playoffs. 

With the series now tied it all comes down to a winner take all Game 7 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO on Sunday, with the time to be determined. 

Entering this climax of this series which will have the winner getting into the Western Conference Finals for the first time in a long time one team enters with history on their side in the Nuggets and the Trail Blazers trying to fight off some road playoff demons. 

They entered Game 5 losers of 18 of their last 21 road playoff games, scoring an average of 99.2 points on just 42 percent shooting, while giving up an average of 110.3 points on 47 percent shooting to their opponent. 

Since losing their first home playoff game to start the 2019 postseason, the Nuggets have won five of their last six games at Pepsi Center dating back to the opening-round against the Spurs and had an NBA-best 34-7 mark at home during the regular-season.  

For the Trail Blazers to win and advance to their first Conference Finals since 2000, they will need Lillard and McCollum, who will be playing in their first Game 7 as pros to be at their best like they were in Game 6. They will also need the supporting cast of Hood, Harkless, Aminu, Kanter, Curry and Collins to contribute like they have at points this postseason. 

In their victory in Game 6, Lillard, McCollum and Hood each scored 25 points or more marking, which marked the fifth time in Trail Blazers’ postseason history they had three players hit that scoring mark or better. They joined Danny Ainge, and the starting backcourt Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter, and Drexler, the late Jerome Kersey and Porter who did it during their 1992 Playoff run that got them to The Finals. It happened again during the 1987 postseason when Drexler, Steve Johnson, and Kiki Vandeweghe did it as well as in 1981 by Billy Ray Bates, Kelvin Ransey and Mychal Thompson. 

After Game 5 Lillard said to his teammates let’s just get back to Denver. He told Hubbarth that he said to the team about getting it done in Game 7 to “leave it all out there.” 

Coach Stotts echoed those same thoughts by saying in his postgame presser, “Game 7s are special, you know. I enjoy the wins, those are nice. But if you asked me that two days ago not so much.” 

For the Nuggets to advance to their first Conference Final since 2009, led by perennial All-Star Carmelo Anthony and now NBA on ESPN studio analyst and color analyst Chauncey Billups, Jokic and Murray have to show up and bring it, like they did in defeating the Spurs in Game 7 of the First-Round 90-86 on Apr. 27. They will also need Harris, Millsap, Barton, Beasley, Mason Plumlee, Torrey Craig, and Monte Morris to perform on both ends. 

The loss in Game 6 represented the Nuggets fifth straight defeat in their last five opportunities to close out a series on the road dating back to the 1994 postseason. 

If the Nuggets give up 46 percent shooting, including 15 for 33 from three-point range; get outrebounded 64-47 and outscored 42-32 in the paint again, going 16 for 46 shooting in the paint their magical carpet ride this postseason will be over. 

“Unfortunate, but we’ve been here before,” Coach Malone said after the loss in Game 6 at his postgame presser. “I thought our Game 6 here in Portland was better than our Game 6 at San Antonio [lost 120-103 on Apr. 25], you know. But now we go home. Best home court [to] the best homecourt advantage in the NBA, and we’re going to rely on that once again to try to close it out in Game 7.”  

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 5/3/19 10:30 p.m. “Denver Nuggets versus Portland Trail Blazers,” Game 3 Western Conference Semifinals, presented by Wells Fargo on ESPN with Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, and Tom Rinaldi; 5/4/19 1 a.m. edition of ESPN’s “Sportscenter,” with Scott Van Pelt; 5/5/19 7 p.m. “Denver Nuggets versus Portland Trail Blazers,” Game 5 on TNT, presented by AT&T with Brian Anderson, Kevin McHale, and Dennis Scott; 5/5/19 9:30 p.m. edition of “Inside the NBA,” presented by Kia on TNT with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal; 5/7/19 NBA on TNT “Gamebreak,” presented by Budweiser with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal; 5/7/19 10:30 p.m. “Portland Trail Blazers versus Denver Nuggets,” Game 5 on TNT, presented by AT&T with Brian Anderson, Kevin McHale, and Dennis Scott; 5/8/19 1 a.m. edition of “Inside the NBA,” presented by Kia on TNT with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal; www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/den; www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/39326299/jamal-murray; www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3015/paul-millsap and the Sporting News’ “Official 2006-07 NBA Guide,” pages 519 and 583 of the “Year-By-Year Reviews” section.