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The Blazers gave San Antonio a fight to remember in triple overtime.
Damian Lillard had a career-high 43, including nine in the final overtime, LaMarcus Aldridge had 32 points and 16 rebounds, Dorell Wright had 9 in the fourth quarter to force extra time, and Portland stunned the San Antonio Spurs in a wild game at the AT&T Center, 129-119 in triple overtime.
Duncan and the Spurs got out to quick start with an early 8-0 run, but Aldridge countered to keep the Blazers close. When San Antonio swapped out their entire lineup halfway through the quarter, Portland's second unit took advantage with quick buckets by Lillard, Steve Blake and Chris Kaman. Both teams slowed to a crawl near the end of the period, and San Antonio took a three point lead into quarter number two.
San Antonio jumped out to an eleven point lead in the early part of the second, with Danny Green and Matt Bonner hitting three three-point shots. Portland rallied just as quickly with an 11-0 run to tie the game. Finally they broke through with Wesley Matthews stealing the ball from Cory Joseph on the Spurs end of the floor, and hitting Lillard for a three to give Portland the lead. Lillard had eight in the period, and 13 in the half. The veterans for San Antonio responded with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili giving the Spurs a two-point lead at intermission. Halfway through the quarter, Blake took an incidental forearm shot from Kyle Anderson, and left the game soon after with a black eye. He did return in the second half.
Aldridge did his usual work in the third quarter, scoring 13 in the period as Portland and San Antonio traded the lead back and forth. Green countered for the Spurs, hitting two threes including one as time expired in the period, and the Spurs led by five with one quarter to play. During the third quarter, Matthews passed 5,000 points scored as a Trail Blazer. He had five in the period and 16 in the game.
Of all the heroes Portland could ask for, no one expected Dorell Wright. But Wright stepped up in a big way, hitting three three-point shots in the period to pull Portland back into the game. San Antonio held a slim advantage for much of the period, but after a steal, Lillard hit two free throws to give Portland the lead back. Green and Lillard exchanged buckets, but when Lillard missed a dunk to extend the lead, the Spurs returned the other way and Danny Green hit a three for a two-point lead, 97-95. With under five seconds to play, Lillard drove to the hoop and tied the game. Green tried a shot for the win at the buzzer, but Lillard blocked the shot, sending the game into overtime.
Duncan hit two quick shots in overtime, Portland missed its first four shots of the extra period. Portland would not go down easy, with free throws by Matthews and a second chance three by Lillard tying the game back up at 104. An off balance shot by Ginobili missed, and the teams went to a second overtime.
Green, Duncan and Marco Belinelli hit shots to start the second overtime, while Portland was unable to return the favor, creating a six point deficit. Lillard jammed home a dunk, Aldridge blocked Duncan, and Wright hit another three to cut the lead to one. After a Spurs miss, Steve Blake hit a long three to give Portland a two point lead. Joseph hit a layup to tie the game, and Matthews missed a three at the horn to send the game to a third overtime.
Lillard was on a roll in the third overtime, hitting two quick shots for a four point lead. Matthews got a steal from Ginobili and extended the lead. After a Duncan miss, Lillard hit a mid-range jumper, and Portland sealed the game from there.
Blake finished with ten points and four assists. Joel Freeland had eight points and six rebounds as the Blazers starter at center. Wright finished with 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
Post-Game Reaction
A tired @Dame_Lillard talks post game in the Blazers locker room http://t.co/cLf1YHmsc1
— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) December 20, 2014
Postgame: Coach Stotts On Gutsy 3OT Victory #PORatSAS WATCH: http://t.co/XJkrgkUyNy pic.twitter.com/eLhjvk5s01
— Trail Blazers TV (@TBTV) December 20, 2014