CJ McCollum was the star of Game 7, scoring 37 points, including some clutch buckets down the stretch to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 100-96 win over the Denver Nuggets.
MORE: Takeaways from Game 7
Hitting jumpshot after jumpshot, McCollum kept the Blazers in the game, but it was his chasedown block on Jamal Murray in the fourth quarter that had everyone talking.
With the Blazers leading 87-83 with just under five minutes remaining, McCollum raced back, shadowing Murray, before elevating to swat his layup attempt against the backboard, bringing back memories of another Ohio native in Game 7.
Two Northeast Ohio legends with clutch blocks in a Game 7 🖐 pic.twitter.com/veUkAoKRvI
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 12, 2019
"Seth [Curry] did a good job undercutting his lane and making him have to go over his head and he put it right there for me and I just went and got it Bron style, shoutout to my guy Bron," McCollum said post-game.
"It was a mini-version of Bron's block on Iggy [Andre Iguodala] some years ago, definitely didn't get up as high but it was a cool play, something that we'll remember forever. I might get a picture of that one."
CJ McCollum called his block in the 4th quarter of Game 7 a "mini version" of LeBron's block in the 2016 Finals. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/uakyXAhIyh
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 12, 2019
McCollum scored six of the Blazers final eight points, turning in one of his best performances when it mattered most, with his NBA peers heaping praise on his Game 7 efforts.
Because all great white sharks swim with a smile @jadande @CJMcCollum https://t.co/lcBgiDMVx9
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) May 12, 2019
That’s exactly why I don’t wanna hear all that analytics talk! In PLAYOFF games when it usually come down to 1/2 possession games down the stretch, just get me bucket! The best shot during that possession. And if it’s a Pull-up 2 then so be it cause it was the best SHOT!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 12, 2019
That 330 kid cooking right now!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 12, 2019
Y'all still fighting the mid range or nah? CJ has been carrying them tonight from that area..
— 🏁 Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) May 12, 2019
CJ proving the mid range game is still fully in effect in this league!
— Allonzo Trier (@ISO_ZO) May 12, 2019
Hell of a block!! That boy doing it on both ends! C.J. McCollum
— Errick McCollum (@ErrickM3) May 12, 2019
