LOS ANGELES -- It took a while, but the Trail Blazers we've seen in the last two games in Portland finally showed up in Los Angeles Tuesday night, and not a minute too soon.
After failing to exert their will on an undermanned opponent playing without both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, the Trail Blazers outscored the Clippers by 10 in the fourth quarter to come away with a 109-98 victory in Game Five at the Staples Center. The Trail Blazers now lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 with a chance to clinch a spot in the Western Conference semifinals with a win in Game Six back in Portland.
"We knew we would have to win here eventually to win the series and we got it done tonight," said Maurice Harkless. "Hopefully we can keep this momentum going and get a win on Friday back home."
Portland has won the last three games versus the Clippers, with Wednesday night's victory being their first road playoff win since 2014.
As has been the case throughout the series, neither team was capable of finding easy offense early in the game. Neither team managed to shoot better than 35 percent from the field and both turned the ball over four times. The Trail Blazers were able to get to the line for 10 free throws in the first quarter, but made just five of those, starting a trend of poor foul line shooting that would continue for most of the game.
Both teams would improve in the second, though the Clippers would get the upper hand by scoring 20 points in the paint on the way to shooting 54 percent from the field in the quarter. Harkless and Gerald Henderson would combine to score 15 points in the quarter to keep Portland in the game, but even their best efforts couldn't stop the Clippers from taking a 50-45 lead into the intermission.
"We had to play harder," said Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. "First half, especially the second quarter, the Clippers played harder than we did. They got baskets in transition, they got offensive rebounds, they got kick-outs, extra possessions and they played harder than we did in the second quarter."
Portland's fortunes changed in the second half. They shot 48 percent from the field, thanks in large part to CJ McCollum going 4-of-5 from the field for 10 points in the quarter, and played with more connected on the defensive end, as evidenced by holding the Clippers scoreless for nearly the first six minutes of the first half. The combination helped Portland grind down what looking like an increasingly fatigued L.A. team to tie the game at 71-71 going into the fourth.
Then it was Damian Lillard's time to shine. After shooting 1-of-10 from the field in the first three quarters, the point guard in his fourth season out of Weber State hit his first shot, a three-pointer, to start the fourth quarter and proceeded to go 6-of-10 from the field and 4-of-6 from three for 16 fourth-quarter points.
"All my teammates throughout the game, they just kept saying, 'Keep shooting, stay with it, stay aggressive, keep your mind right,'" said Lillard. "I would have been doing that all along, but it felt good to have that encouragement and that support, especially with them trapping so high out. I had to trust the right play, hitting the guy in the middle and allowing him to make the next play to the weak side. I just had to be patient."
With Lillard's help, the Trail Blazers were able put together a 15-3 run early in the fourth to take a 13-point lead with 7:48 to play in regulation. A few minutes later, an 11-2 run would push Portland's lead to 17, their largest of the night, before coasting to the 10-point victory.
The Trail Blazers were led by McCollum, who went 9-of-18 from the field to finish with 27 points, four assists and four rebounds in 39 minutes. Harkless went 7-of-14 from the field to finish with a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds.
"I knew I had to be aggressive," said Harkless. "It was tough for guys to get going in the beginning and I saw opportunities to attack and was open a few times, so I took advantage."
Mason Plumlee, arguably Portland's most valuable player thus far in the playoffs, also put up a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds to go with four assists. Lillard finished with 22 points, five assists and three steals in 39 minutes.
The Clippers had six players score in double figures led by 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting for JJ Redick. DeAndre Jordan finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds in 31 minutes.
The series now once again shifts back to Portland for Game Six at the Moda Center. A win would give the Trail Blazers the series and a second round date with the Golden State Warriors, while a loss would force a Game Seven back at Staples Center.
"We want to close the series out," said McCollum. "We've got a unique opportunity here to play an elimination game at home, and we want to make sure we take full advantage of it."