Blazers sinibak ang Nuggets

DENVER — Nang ma­­ging malamya ang la­ro ni star guard Damian Lillard ay sumandal ang Portland Trail Blazers kay CJ McCollum.

Nagpapaputok si McCollum ng 37 points at nakabawi ang Blazers mu­la sa 17-point first-half deficit para resbakan ang Nuggets, 100-96, sa Game Seven papasok sa Western Conference Finals.

Ito ang unang confe­rence finals stint ng Portland sapul noong 2000 at hahamunin ang two-time defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors na sumibak sa Houston Rockets, 4-2, sa kanilang semifinals series.

“There wasn’t going to be any quit,” ani Bla­zers coach Terry Stotts. “I didn’t think they ever stopped believing. It was just about regrouping.”

Tumapos si Lillard ng 13 points mula sa kanyang 3-of-17 fieldgoal sho­oting.

Pinamunuan ni center Ni­kola Jokic ang Nuggets mula sa kanyang 29 points, habang may 14 mar­­kers si Jamal Murray.