The Portland Trail Blazers were even farther on the brink of elimination from the playoffs as they trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter, but they exploded with a furious rally to win, 99-92, and stay alive in the playoffs.
Sports video app
(Video) NBA Playoffs Highlights: Milwaukee Bucks defeat Chicago Bulls in Game 5
NBA news: Kevin Love to miss entire second round, JR Smith suspended two games
Point guard Damian Lillard put on what was easily his best performance of the 2015 playoffs as he scored 32 points and came through in the clutch.
The Blazers took the lead in the first quarter after being down, 8-2, as they went on a 25-14 run. The Blazers continued to hold their lead in the second quarter.
Center Meyers Leonard channeled his inner Dirk Nowitzki and made two three-pointers in the quarter, and he scored a total of 10 points in that span.
The Blazers began to slow down in the third quarter, and they only scored 13 points as the Grizzlies went on a 14-2 run to start the quarter.
The Grizzlies took a 75-68 lead at the end of the quarter, and all hope seemed to be lost for the Blazers.
This rang especially true when the teams combined for a minuscule seven points in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter.
With just over eight minutes left in the fourth, Lillard made a two-point shot that sparked what would be an incredible comeback.
The Blazers scored four more unanswered points before Grizzlies center Marc Gasol made an incredible hook shot with six minutes left.
Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge made four free throws in the next minute before shooting guard C.J. McCollum tied it with a layup.
After McCollum tied the game up again following a Gasol two-point shot, Gasol gave the Grizzlies back their lead with two free throws.
Lillard began his clutch showing with a three-pointer that gave the Blazers the lead two minutes left, and he drew the foul for a four-point play.
After Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph tied the game, McCollum nailed the go-ahead three-pointer.
The Grizzlies were unable to score again for a whole minute, and small forward Jeff Green committed a costly foul that would send small forward Nicolas Batum to the free-throw line.
Batum made one free throw, which essentially put the game out of reach. Although Grizzlies shooting guard Courtney Lee trimmed the Blazers’ lead to two with 19 seconds left, the Grizzlies were forced to intentionally foul Lillard.
Lillard made two free throws before Gasol dunked it with eight seconds left. After that, Lillard sealed the game for good with two more free throws as Lee missed a three-pointer with two seconds left.
The Blazers miraculously kept their season alive, but they will have to play the Grizzlies in Memphis for Game 5, which will take place on Wednesday.
The Grizzlies felt the absence of injured point guard Mike Conley, who is out with a facial injury. However, Nick Calathes scored 12 points while shooting 4-for-5 from the three-point line.
In addition to Lillard’s 32 points and seven assists, McCollum and Aldridge each scored 18 points while Aldridge grabbed 12 rebounds.
Despite a horrid 3-for-13 shooting performance, Batum tied for the lead the Blazers in rebounds with 13. Leonard also reached that amount while scoring 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
For the Grizzlies, Gasol led the team in scoring with 21 points while adding seven rebounds and six assists.
Lee added 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and Randolph scored 12 points while snagging nine boards.
COMMENTS