Western Conference Semifinals
Denver Nuggets vs. Portland Trail Blazers

With the series win over Chicago, the Blazers were faced with playing the rest of the playoffs without the luxury of home-court advantage. But these were mentally hardened Blazers.

The high flying Denver Nuggets had finished with the second best record in the NBA, and were coached by Larry Brown and led by David “The Skywalker” Thompson, Dan Issel, Bobby Jones and Paul Silas. They had averaged a mile-high 112 points a game.

The Blazers clawed their way to a Game One victory in Denver behind Maurice Lucas’ game winner with 11 seconds left. The Nuggets rebounded to defeat Portland in Game Two, but with the series split at 1-1 and the series returning to the Rose City, the Blazers were sitting in the drivers seat.

David Thompson went off for 40 in Game Three, but with the ear shattering support from the fans, the Blazers would not fall. They would go on to take a 3-1 series lead with the fifth game in Denver.

Game Five was another hard fought game that had the Nuggets jump out to an early lead, but the end of the 3rd quarter the Blazers had whittled the lead to 14. In the 4th quarter the Blazers outscored the Nuggets 28-14, forcing overtime. Perhaps the altitude played apart in it, but Portland seemed to run out of gas in the extra period and Denver went on to win 114-105.

Johnny Davis stepped in for the injured Dave Twardzik, and the rookie did not disappoint. He sparked the Blazers to an early 33-16 lead and finished the game with 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Lionel Hollins chipped in 21 points, and the Blazers went on to cinch up the series with the 108-92 win. Perhaps it was more appropriate for the series to return to Portland so that the Blazers could celebrate the series win with the home crowd.