Nuggets beat Blazers 147-140 in 2OT, Lillard scores 55

DENVER (AP) — Michael Porter Jr.’s 3-pointer with 1:33 left in the second overtime helped the Denver Nuggets squelch an epic comeback by the Portland Trail Blazers with a 147-140 win Tuesday night in Game 5 of the playoff series.

The Nuggets won despite Damian Lillard’s franchise playoff record 55 points.

Lillard scored 17 of Portland’s 19 points in the two overtimes, but he didn’t score again after his 12th 3-pointer in 17 attempts put the Blazers ahead 140-138 with 3:47 left.

And his teammates didn’t score again, either.

Nikola Jokic, who scored 38 points and came one assist shy of a triple-double, tied it at 140 with a layup and Porter broke the tie with a 3 from the left corner with 1:33 left.

The Blazers still were within three points until a pair of costly mistakes sent them back to Portland for Game 6 on Thursday night trailing the Nuggets 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.

First, Robert Covington missed a dunk with 41 seconds left and then CJ McCollum stepped out of bounds with 9.1 seconds left and Lillard setting up for another 3.

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1of11El jugador de los Nuggets de Denver Nikola Jokic (con el 15) lanza por encima del jugador de los Trail Blazers de Portland Enes Kanter (11) en el primer cuarto del segundo juego de su serie de primera ronda de playoffs, en la NBA, el lunes 24 de mayo de 2021 en Denver. (AP Foto/Joe Mahoney)Joe Mahoney/APShow MoreShow Less 2of11Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony keeps the ball from Denver Nuggets forward JaMychal Green during the first half of Game 5 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, June 1, 2021, in Denver.Jack Dempsey/APShow MoreShow Less 3of11 4of11Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) shoots against Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (27) during the first half of Game 5 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, June 1, 2021, in Denver.Jack Dempsey/APShow MoreShow Less 5of11Denver Nuggets guard Monte Morris (11) goes up for a shot against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of Game 5 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, June 1, 2021, in Denver.Jack Dempsey/APShow MoreShow Less 6of11 7of11Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (27) during the first half of Game 5 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, June 1, 2021, in Denver.Jack Dempsey/APShow MoreShow Less 8of11Denver Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo (7) drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons during the first half of Game 5 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, June 1, 2021, in Denver.Jack Dempsey/APShow MoreShow Less 9of11 10of11Portland Trail Blazers forward Norman Powell (24) pressures Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) during the first half of Game 5 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, June 1, 2021, in Denver.Jack Dempsey/APShow MoreShow Less 11of11

Monte Morris, who scored 28 points off the bench, hit a pair of free throws with 8.8 seconds to seal it, and Shaq Harrison added two free throws with 3.8 seconds remaining.

Lillard broke his own franchise scoring record, a 50-point outburst against Oklahoma City on April 23, 2019.

Lillard’s 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation tied it at 121. His 3 with 6.4 seconds left in the first overtime tied it at 135 and that capped Portland’s comeback from a quick nine-point deficit in the extra period after Denver hit a trio of 3s.

The Nuggets made three quick 3-pointers in the first overtime, two by Morris and another by Austin Rivers, to surge ahead 132-123. Portland missed its first five long balls in the extra period before Lillard sank three in the final minute to force a second overtime.

By holding on, Denver improved to 187-1 in games since April 2, 2008, in which they led at any point by 22 or more, including the postseason.

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