A long-range, three-point bomb from Damian Lillard has put a dagger through the heart of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Portland Trail Blazers guard produced the finest display of his career in game five of the Western Conference playoff series against OKC.
Lillard finished with 50 points as Portland ended OKC's season with a 118-115 victory in front of a raucous home crowd.
Led by Russell Westbrook and Paul George, OKC played their best three and a half quarters of the series to lead by 13-points with six minutes remaining.
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But the Trail Blazers wouldn't go away with Lillard, CJ McCollum and Enes Kanter landing key buckets down the stretch.
OKC had a chance to jump to a nine-point lead with three minutes to play but Paul George missed two free-throws – they would only add two more points.
Lillard tied the game with 35 seconds remaining and found himself with the ball in hand 20 seconds later after Westbrook missed a contested layup which would have given OKC the lead.
With George playing tight defence, Lillard assessed his options, let the clock tick and then threw up a virtual 'Hail Mary' that found nothing but net to seal a 4-1 series win.
Lillard was sensational from the start, scoring 34 first-half points as Portland took a two-point lead to the sheds.
But OKC were rolling on offence throughout with George and Westbrook answering to every run from the home side.
A 27-6 offensive OKC run had the Thunder in position to win but they fell away in the final six minutes with George and Westbrook both committing multiple turnovers.
Lillard was backed up by McCollum (17) and Maurice Harkless (17) while Kanter ended with a double-double (13-13).
George top-scored for OKC, finishing with 36-points while Westbrook ended with a triple-double (29-11-14).
Kiwi Steven Adams was benched for the entire fourth quarter for the second straight game. He finished with 10 points, four rebounds and two assists.
It marks the third straight year Oklahoma has been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, all by the margin of 4-1.
Portland will meet the winner of the Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs matchup which Denver currently lead 3-2.
Newshub.
