Get ready for it…as the Portland Trail Blazers are going to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.
Oregon fans were thrilled as the Blazers rallied from a 17-point deficit to come back and deliver a defeat to the Denver Nuggets 100-96 in front of a sellout crowd of over 19,000 at the Pepsi Center in Denver and a huge national TV audience as well.
For as bad as the game started, it got even worse for Portland in the second quarter. The Nuggets outscored the Blazers 10-5 in the first five and a half minutes of the quarter, taking a 17-point lead after an impressive Monte Morris reverse layup. At that point, there was no reason to believe Portland would be able to do what they’d need to do to get back in the game, let alone come away with a win on the road.
McCollum carried the Trail Blazers throughout the game, finishing with 37 points on 17-of-29 shooting from the field to go with nine rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block in 45 minutes.
With the win, the Trail Blazers take the series 4-3 and advance to play the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.
Game 1 is scheduled for Tuesday at Oracle Arena.
No. 10 Oregon Tech will play the Saints of Siena Heights (Mich.) today at 12:30 pm (Pacific) (This is a two hour delay) in NAIA National tournament Opening Round at Indiana Wesleyan University at Wildcat Field.
The Owls won the coin toss Sunday night and will be the home team.
Tournament Schedule
NAIA National Championship Opening Round – Indiana Wesleyan University – Wildcat Field
Monday, May 13
Game 1 – 10:00 AM: #2 Indiana Wesleyan vs. #3 Central Baptist
Game 2 – 12:30 PM: #1 Oregon Tech vs. #4 Siena Heights
Tuesday, May 14
Game 3 – 8:00 AM: Winner
Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4 – 10:30 AM: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 5 – 1:00 PM: Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
The Sunday weather was dreary, and so was the end result for the Mariners in Boston at famed Fenway Park.
Playing on a field all day, the Mariners were swept in the three-game series with an 11-2 loss to the Red Sox.
While soaked fans watched covered in ponchos, the Mariners seemed to be affected by the damp conditions, too.
Starting pitcher Marco Gonzales allowed four hits, four runs (two earned, including a home run by J.D. Martinez) while striking out three off 95 pitches in four innings. Twenty-eight-year-old Parker Markel made his Major League debut in relief, giving up three hits, two runs and a walk in his first official inning. In total, five Mariners threw 189 pitches, while three Red Sox threw 133.
Oakland visits Seattle at T-Mobile Park as the Mariners return home tonight.
MLB Scores (from Sunday, May 12)
| Atlanta Braves | 5 | Final |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 3 |
| W | Max Fried (5-2) |
| L | Zack Godley (1-3) |
| S | Luke Jackson (4) |
| Los Angeles Angels | 1 | Final |
| Baltimore Orioles | 5 |
| W | John Means (5-3) |
| L | Griffin Canning (1-1) |
| Seattle Mariners | 2 | Final |
| Boston Red Sox | 11 |
| W | Hector Velazquez (1-2) |
| L | Marco Gonzales (5-2) |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 1 | Final |
| Chicago Cubs | 4 |
| W | Jon Lester (3-1) |
| L | Jhoulys Chacin (3-4) |
| S | Steve Cishek (2) |
| San Diego Padres | 7 | Final |
| Colorado Rockies | 10 |
| W | Antonio Senzatela (3-2) |
| L | Nick Margevicius (2-4) |
| Texas Rangers | 5 | Final |
| Houston Astros | 15 |
| W | Corbin Martin (1-0) |
| L | Adrian Sampson (0-3) |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 6 | Final |
| Kansas City Royals | 1 |
| W | Cole Irvin (1-0) |
| L | Jakob Junis (3-4) |
| Washington Nationals | 0 | Final |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 6 |
| W | Hyun-Jin Ryu (5-1) |
| L | Stephen Strasburg (3-3) |
| Detroit Tigers | 5 | Final |
| Minnesota Twins | 3 |
| W | Daniel Norris (2-1) |
| L | Martin Perez (5-1) |
| S | Shane Greene (15) |
| Cleveland Indians | 5 | Final |
| Oakland Athletics | 3 |
| W | Jefry Rodriguez (1-2) |
| L | Daniel Mengden (0-1) |
| S | Brad Hand (11) |
| Cincinnati Reds | 5 | Final |
| San Francisco Giants | 6 |
| W | Tony Watson (2-0) |
| L | David Hernandez (0-2) |
| S | Will Smith (10) |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 10 | Final |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 6 |
| W | Chris Stratton (1-2) |
| L | John Brebbia (1-2) |
| New York Yankees | 7 | Final |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 1 |
| W | Masahiro Tanaka (3-3) |
| L | Blake Snell (3-4) |
| Chicago White Sox | 5 | Final |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 1 |
| W | Lucas Giolito (4-1) |
| L | Aaron Sanchez (3-4) |
