NBA Playoffs 2019: Recap of Portland Trail Blazers' thrilling quadruple-overtime Game 3 win over the Denver Nuggets

Yash Matange and Benyam Kidane

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NBA Playoffs 2019: Recap of Portland Trail Blazers' thrilling quadruple-overtime Game 3 win over the Denver Nuggets image

An additional 20 minutes were needed for a result from Game 3 of the Conference Semifinals series between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets but eventually, the hosts survived to win a thrilling game and retain home-court advantage. 

CJ McCollum led the Blazers with 41 points, while Damian Lillard added 28 points and eight assists. 

For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic recorded his third triple-double of the playoffs with 33 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists, logging a game-high 65 minutes.

It took a couple of the Blazers' bench guys to seal this victory, with Rodney Hood scoring seven points in the fourth overtime period, while Seth Curry iced the game with a couple of clutch free-throws in the closing seconds.

For more on Game 3, here are the takeaways:

Clutch CJ

With Damian Lillard having a second consecutive rough shooting night from the field, CJ McCollum took over in Game 3, especially in the overtime periods.


McCollum's 41 tied his career-high for points in a playoff game, while his 60 minutes played makes him the first Trail Blazer ever to play that many minutes in a playoff game. 

He scored 18 of his 41 in the overtime period, which is tied for the most in OT of a playoff game in the last 20 seasons. 

The Blazers' shooting guard also recorded 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals while going 5-of-6 from the free-throw line and only turning the ball over once. 

Nikola Jokic's monster triple-double in vain

On the road at the Moda Center, Nikola Jokic, playing 65 minutes, had the best game of his first postseason. 

The Serbian center recorded his third playoff triple-double, a monster one, with 33 points, 18 rebounds, and 14 assists on an efficient 13-of-25 shooting night. 


He also made four of his seven 3-point attempts while recording a +5 in the +/- category (only Jamal Murray had a better +/- with +6). 

Playing 65 minutes, the fourth-most in league postseason history, and putting up such huge numbers, Jokic would surely be disappointed that he couldn't ensure that his team came out victorious in this game. 

Rodney Hood seizes the moment

Rodney Hood delivered his most clutch performance when Portland needed it most. 

Trailing 136-135 with 17.8 seconds remaining, Hood drained the clutch go-ahead three-pointer to snatch the W.


After not seeing any minutes in the first three overtime periods, Hood was called on after the Blazers missed six of their first seven shots.

With players logging monster minutes, Hood put his fresh legs to good use, providing a seven-point burst in the final two minutes of the game. He finished with a playoff career-high 19 points in 23 minutes off the bench on 6-of-8 shooting.

Instant Classic: Second ever 4OT game in NBA playoff history

Game 3 was the first four-overtime playoff game in the shot clock era (1954-55) and just the second in NBA history.

In 1953, the Boston Celtics beat the Syracuse Nationals 111-105 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.


 

Yash Matange and Benyam Kidane