Blazers lose Nurkic to severe leg injury, edge Nets in 2 OTs

Jusuf Nurkic had 32 points and 16 rebounds before suffering a gruesome left leg injury in the second overtime, and the Portland Trail Blazers outlasted the Brooklyn Nets 148-144 on Monday night.

Nurkic was hurt when his leg bent awkwardly as he battled for an offensive rebound. His leg was immobilized and he was removed on a stretcher while surrounded by members of both teams.

The Blazers pulled out the game without him to clinch a playoff berth, but the loss of its starting center having his best season could be devastating for a Portland team already playing without injured guard CJ McCollum.

Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie, left, defends against Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Monday, March 25, 2019. (AP PhotoRandy L. Rasmussen)

Damian Lillard finished with 31 points and 12 assists for Portland, while D'Angelo Russell had 39 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for Brooklyn.

Nurkic's basket made it 134-132 with 3:40 to go into the second overtime. With center Jarrett Allen and Ed Davis having fouled out and the Nets left without a big man, Nurkic had a huge advantage inside whenever he posted up or went for rebounds.

But he was hurt while doing so, with bodies falling all around him. After he was taken off the court, Anfernee Simons made two free throws for Portland to put them up 136-132.

Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris, left, and guard D'Angelo Russell and Portland Trail Blazers guard Rodney Hood go for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Monday, March 25, 2019. (AP PhotoRandy L. Rasmussen)

A 3-pointer by Rodney Hood extended the lead to 139-132 forced the Nets to start fouling.

There were 12 lead changes and 15 ties over the course of the game, with Portland leading 95-90 after three.

The Nets, however, would storm back in the fourth thanks to the play of their bench. Brooklyn took multiple leads in the final period, with their biggest coming at 112-102 with 6:07 left after a jumper by Caris LeVert.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu, left, is defended by Brooklyn Nets forward DeMarre Carroll, center, and center Jarrett Allen during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Monday, March 25, 2019. (AP PhotoRandy L. Rasmussen)

Portland fought back and with the Nets up one with the ball, Seth Curry stole Russell's dribble and was fouled. He missed the first free throw but made the second to tie the game at 120 with 3.5 seconds left.

Russell missed a deep 3-pointer to force overtime.

Russell scored five early points in the extra period, but Portland took a 128-125 lead on Nurkic's basket before a 3-pointer by Spencer Dinwiddie tied the game again.

It went to a second OT tied at 132 after Russell made a layup and Lillard missed a long final attempt.

TIP-INS

Nets: Brooklyn had its two-game winning streak snapped and has one game left on its seven-game road trip, at Philadelphia on Thursday.

Trail Blazers: Coach Terry Stotts said McCollum is doing well in his recovery from a knee strain he suffered on March 16, but that he will not join them for their four-game road trip. "He's progressing fine," Stotts said. "He will not go on the road trip. He will stay back and rehab and get some court work back here." The Blazers start the trip Wednesday at Chicago before coming back on April 3.

UP NEXT

Nets: Thursday at Philadelphia 76ers.

Trail Blazers: Wednesday at Chicago Bulls.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2019 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.

They can even the series with a victory at home Sunday.

Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.

76ERS 125, KNICKS 114

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a win over New York in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Embiid boldly stated “we’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.

With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason and kept the hope of a Philadelphia series comeback very much alive.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor overall, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.

NUGGETS 112, LAKERS 105

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Gordon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Denver moved to the brink of the second round with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round series..

Jamal Murray scored 22 points as the defending NBA champion Nuggets won their 11th consecutive meeting with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating style.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for Denver, which took control in the third quarter and cruised through the final minutes to its fifth straight road win over Los Angeles, starting with its sweep of last season’s Western Conference finals.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Los Angeles. No NBA team has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) makes a shot as he gets past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)