Damian Lillard on Tuesday night hit a 37-footer at the buzzer and finished with career playoff-high 50 points to help the Portland Trail Blazers eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder from the playoffs in five games with a 118-115 victory.
With the game tied, Lillard dribbled just inside of half-court near the Blazers logo and then pulled up and hit the game-winner.
He waved goodbye to the Thunder bench after nailing the shot, then was promptly mobbed by his teammates. As the Thunder left the floor, Lillard circled the court, high-fiving fans.
Lillard had 10 three-pointers, breaking the franchise record.
Portland advance to the Western Conference semi-finals to face the winners of a series between the Nuggets and San Antonio.
It was the 12th straight road playoff loss for the Thunder, who have been eliminated in the opening round for three straight seasons.
RAPTORS 115, MAGIC 96
In Toronto, Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points and Pascal Siakam added 24 as the Raptors used another stifling defensive effort to beat the Magic, winning their first-round playoff series in five games.
Kyle Lowry scored 14 points as the Raptors finished off the Magic with ease, bouncing back from a Game 1 defeat to win by double-digits in three of the next four. Toronto led by as many as 37 in the clincher, their biggest-ever margin in a playoff game.
It was the fourth straight year the Raptors have reached the second round.
Leonard made eight of 11 shots, including five of five from three-point range, as the Raptors jumped on Orlando early and never trailed. Leonard also made all six of his free throws.
76ERS 120, NETS 100
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid scored 23 points and had 13 rebounds, while Ben Simmons added 13 points to help the 76ers rout the Nets and close out their Eastern Conference playoff series in five games.
Up next, a second-round series against the Toronto Raptors.
Any late arrivals missed the defining moments of the game from a jovial Sixers team that enjoyed toying with the sickly Nets.
The Sixers stunned the Nets with a 14-0 run in front of the loudest and rowdiest packed house of the season.
The Nets later trailed 20-2, and Simmons put an exclamation point on the stunning first quarter when he drove the paint and used a right-handed jam to make it 32-12 — with a thump of his chest for emphasis.
No starter played more than 27 minutes in a game that could have been called off after the first quarter.
NUGGETS 108, SPURS 90
In Denver, Colorado, Jamal Murray’s 23 points led six Nuggets in double figures as Denver routed the Spurs to move within one win of their first playoff series triumph in a decade.
Up 3-2, the Nuggets can wrap up the series tonight in San Antonio, Texas, where they won last weekend for the first time since 2012, regaining the home-court advantage.
The Nuggets, who posted the best home record in the NBA and ended a six-year playoff drought by earning a surprising second seed in the Western Conference playoffs, finally looked like the team that rolled through the regular season led by All-Star Nikola Jokic and backed up by the best bench in the league.
Jokic had 16 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as Denver led by as many 30 points at 99-69, after which their starters took a seat.
Brazil has four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup that kicked off yesterday in the US, but for SE Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption. Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles. The only major trophy missing is a world champions’ title. Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense FC and Botafogo FR, also in the tournament, have never won it either, but the problem for Palmeiras
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