----- Trail Blazers win the second quadruple-overtime game in NBA Playoff History 140-137 over the Denver Nuggets to take a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Nuggets and Trail Blazers made history Friday night at Moda Center.
Portland outlasted Denver 140-137 in quadruple-overtime tying the NBA record for longest postseason game in history. The Boston Celtics defeated the Syracuse Nationals 111-105 in quadruple-overtime on March 21st, 1953.
It was a long night. It was a historic game. And a game that is likely going to come with consequences for both teams as the minutes-played category hit the absurd.
Nikola Jokic played a ridiculous 64:58 in the game, two-minutes shy of the NBA record for minutes-played in a game. After the game, Nuggets Head Coach Michael Malone apologized to Jokic.
“That’s unheard of,” Malone said. “That’s ridiculous. I can’t do that to him. That’s too many minutes.”
Jokic finished the night with a triple-double scoring 33 points, 18 rebounds, and 14 assists. Jamal Murray scored a team-high 34 points and pulled down nine rebounds in 55 minutes.
The Blazers had multiple players step up on the night to make game-changing plays and big shots in critical moments.
CJ McCollum scored a game-high 41 points including a number of big buckets late in the game. McCollum played 60 minutes on the night adding eight rebounds and four assists.
Damian Lillard played 57 minutes scoring 28 points on 10-for-24 shooting. Maurice Harkless recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds in 44 minutes while playing on a bad ankle and Rodney Hood continued his strong play scoring 19 points off the bench.
''I didn't give up. I didn't give up on myself, just kept playing, kept working,'' Hood said. ''I had no idea that 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."
Enes Kanter continued to show courage playing with his injured left shoulder scoring 18 points and pulling down 15 rebounds in 56 minutes, but said he re-injured his shoulder during the game.
''I will just go home and get some rest. I don't know if I can play the next game but I will do my best to be out there with my teammates,'' he said.
The game that seemed like it would never end had some wild moments that will be remembered forever.
Regulation ended with 61-foot bomb by Harkless that nearly found its way into the basket after a Denver turnover.
The first and second overtime periods ended with long threes from both Jokic and Lillard that clanked off the iron.
Jamal Murray nearly ended the game at the end of third overtime, but his desperation attempt from three-point range bounced off the backboard and caught the rim before falling to floor.
The Blazers put the game away in the fourth and final overtime with relentless defense, a huge three-pointer from Hood and two clutch free throws from Seth Curry.
“I have no idea what happened in the first half or the second half or in the first three overtimes,” Blazers Coach Terry Stotts said. “I’ve never been involved in a game like that, regular season or playoffs but it was an amazing effort by both teams.”
It was one of those games where it seemed like both teams deserved to win.
''We fought, we fought, we fought. That's all you can ask for. Too many second-chance points too many turnovers, that was the difference in the game,'' Michael Malone said. ''But that was a hell of a basketball game by two very good basketball teams.''
Up Next- Game 4 will be Sunday at Moda Center. Scheduled tip off time is 4:00 PM.
Chad's Take- Total insanity. One of the most incredible sporting events I have ever attended. Props to both teams for the way they competed tonight. Unfortunately for Denver, there is no way they recover from that devastating loss.