Before the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets in a game of seven, most fans would have thought Damien Lillard would have to do better in order to reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 19 years.
He needs to score 50 points, shoot a killer shot from 12 meters away, and spin his body against physical rules to complete the layup so that he can help the team beat the Nuggets. To achieve this victory, it is up to Lillard to carry the whole team alone.
But after the Blazers won 100-96, their All-Star point guard scored just 13 points on 3-of-17 shooting, and the Blazers trailed by as many as 17 points in the second quarter, and it's clear that this doesn't belong to the Lillard moment.
It was C.J. McClum's prime time.
McQuelem's performance today was dizzying, with a variety of difficult scoring methods, including retreat jump shots and incredible layups under the basket. But his best shot of the game wasn't even on the offensive end, as he followed Jamal Murray like LeBron James in the game, and mcClum gave the Trail Blazers the upper hand and ultimately the victory at the hostile Nuggets home.
In the end, McClum scored 37 points from 59 percent shooting. He has only one three-pointer in 17 goals. He was more of a tactical expert in this game, using mid-range shots well to help his team beat the Nuggets.
Lillard, who averaged 27 points in the first six games of the series, scored only 13 points in this game. He has been the team's back in the regular season, and he was also fully committed in the first round of the playoff series against the Oklahoma Thunder.
But today, in one of the Trail Blazers' biggest games in years, McClum took on the burden on his shoulders. That's a really good step forward for the Blazers. The Blazers won an incredible victory under Lillard's worst playoff performance. With the help of Zach Collins, Evan Turner and Maurice Hackelis, the Trail Blazers beat the second-strongest team in the West on the road.
They had good momentum before the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors. And the Warriors don't seem invincible now, With Kevin Durant absent for a long time due to a calf injury, and while Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry still look as deadly as ever, the defending champions have far less depth of the lineup than the Warriors before Durant joined.
In this series against the Nuggets, the Trail Blazers have proven they are capable enough to be strong contenders for the Warriors. They don't just rely on Lillard alone, C.J. McClem can also pick up the team's girder.
That's what Zorro brings to you about the Portland Trail Blazers. Welcome to discuss. If there are any errors in the text, please do not hesitate to advise, I am very grateful.