PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets 100-96 in Game 7 on Sunday at the Pepsi Center in Denver to advance to the Western Conference finals for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.
It was the first Game 7 road win for the Blazers in franchise history, and continued an unbelievable postseason run for the team. Portland trailed by as many as 17 points in the second quarter, but stormed back, taking their first lead late in the third quarter before closing it out in the fourth quarter.
CJ McCollum carried the Blazers all game, scoring 37 points on 17 of 29 shooting. He also had nine rebounds.
BOX SCORE: Trail Blazers 100, Nuggets 96
Damian Lillard persevered through a terrible shooting night to finish with 13 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Lillard and McCollum both played 45 minutes.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Blazers beat Nuggets 100-96 in Game 7
Enes Kanter, who continues to play through a separated shoulder, had 12 points and 13 rebounds in 40 minutes. And Evan Turner and Zach Collins came off the bench to give the Blazers a major boost. Turner had 14 points, seven rebounds and two assists, and Zach Collins had seven points, five rebounds and four blocks.
Nikola Jokic had 29 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for Denver and played 42 minutes. The Nuggets shot just 37.1% from the field and 10.5% from the 3-point line.
The Blazers will play the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals. Game 1 is Tuesday in Oakland.
PHOTOS: Blazers fans react after Game 7 win
Series schedule
Western Conference finals
(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (3) Portland Trail Blazers
Best-of-7 series; all times PDT; x-if necessary
- Game 1 (at GS): Tuesday, 6 p.m., ESPN
- Game 2 (at GS): Thursday, 6 p.m., ESPN
- Game 3 (at POR): Saturday, 6 p.m., ESPN
- Game 4 (at POR): Monday, 6 p.m., ESPN
- x-Game 5 (at GS): Wednesday, 6 p.m., ESPN
- x-Game 6 (at POR): Friday, 6 p.m., ESPN
- x-Game 7 (at GS): Sunday, 6 p.m., ESPN
More Blazers coverage
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- Here's how to buy tickets to watch the Blazers in the conference finals
- Blazers vs. Warriors: Western Conference finals schedule
- Running through the streets, happy dances and tears: Blazers fans react to Game 7 win (video)
- Blazers rally for Game 7 win, punch ticket to Western Conference finals: Reporter notebook
- Bring on the Warriors! Blazers reach West finals for first time since 2000
- Rodney Hood hopes to be available for Game 1 after hyperextending knee
- Think the odds are stacked against the Blazers in Game 7? My video game doth protest
3-on-3 Blazers podcast
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Watch postgame interviews and relive the action with a live box score and social media updates from KGW's Orlando Sanchez and Jared Cowley, and other members of the Portland and Denver media.