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A18 SPORTS
Friday 3 May 2019
McCollum leads Blazers past cold Nuggets, 97-90

By ARNIE STAPLETON Nikola Jokic had 16 points
AP Sports Writer and 14 boards but got off
DENVER (AP) — After giv- to a slow start and wasn't
ing up 39 points to Damian nearly the take-control
Lillard in the opener, the force he was in Game 1,
Denver Nuggets were de- when he scored 37 points.
termined to make sure Port- "The last quarter we missed
land's role players would a lot of put-backs, but 23
have to bear the burden of offensive rebounds is a big
evening up the series. number," Jokic said. "The
His teammates were up to first half we had open shots
the task on a night that Lil- but we didn't make any of
lard, who came in averag- those."
ing 34.8 points in the play- With Jokic taking — and
offs, was held to 14 points missing — just one shot in
on 5-of-17 shooting. the first quarter and scor-
CJ McCollum led six Trail ing six points in the first half,
Blazers in double figures the Nuggets trailed 50-35
with 20 points in a 97-90 at halftime after the fran-
victory at the Pepsi Center chise's worst quarter ever at
on Wednesday night that home in the playoffs, one in
evened their series 1-1. which they made just 5 of
"It's very important," said 23 shots and missed all 10
Enes Kanter, who chipped Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, fouls Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum during of their 3-pointers. Nuggets
in 15 points for Portland. the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series Wednesday, May 1, coach Michael Malone
"Teams can't guard him 2019, in Denver. Portland won 97-90. said he admonished his
with one man. They were Associated Press team at halftime, "'if you're
sending double-teams, not making shots, maybe
triple-teams. That's when I for Game 3 Friday night, cit to 95-90 in the final min- bounds but they didn't con- attack the basket, maybe
said, 'He's making himself and Lillard's hoping a return ute thanks to an astonish- vert a lot," Portland coach get to the foul line, maybe
better, but at the same time to the Moda Center will ing 14 offensive rebounds Terry Stotts said. "They were get to the rim.'" They started
he's making everybody else help him find his long-range in the fourth quarter and 8 for 24 on second-chance doing that after halftime,
better around him.' He was rhythm after he misfired on a 19-9 run before Rodney points. We were fortunate but the Blazers answered
passing the ball, really ac- 14 of 19 3-pointers in Den- Hood's two free throws with we came away not hurt time after time, getting 15
tive on defense. He's been ver. 17 seconds left iced it. as badly as we could have points from Hood, 11 from
unbelievable, man." The Nuggets trimmed a "The good news is they had been on the offensive Al-Farouq Aminu and 10
The series shifts to Portland 17-point, third-quarter defi- all of those offensive re- boards." from Zach Collins.q

Celtics President Danny Ainge has mild heart attack

By KYLE HIGHTOWER Marcus Smart, who said well. I just hope he makes
AP Sports Writer the team was informed by a speedy recovery."
BOSTON (AP) — Boston the coaching staff before Ainge was a two-sport star
Celtics President Danny practice Thursday. Now in at BYU who in 1981 won
Ainge had a mild heart at- his fifth season in Boston, the Wooden Award as the
tack and is expected to Smart is the longest-ten- nation's top college bas-
fully recover. ured player on the roster. ketball player. He played
The 60-year-old execu- Smart shares a close rela- parts of three seasons with
tive received immediate tionship with Ainge, who the Toronto Blue Jays, bat-
medical attention Tuesday was there to comfort him ting .269, before settling
night in Milwaukee, the while his mother, Camellia into a 14-year career in the
team said in a statement Smart, endured and even- NBA.
Thursday. The Celtics were tually died from cancer Ainge was an All-Star in
facing the Bucks in the last year. 1988 and won two cham-
second round of the play- In this June 23, 2017, file photo, Boston Celtics team president "Danny is just one of those pionships with the Celtics
Danny Ainge speaks at the team's practice facility in Waltham,
offs. Ainge, who also had a Mass. guys. He takes time out of alongside Larry Bird, Robert
mild heart attack in 2009, Associated Press his life and his day, what- Parish and Kevin McHale.
was scheduled to return to ever he's doing and his Ainge coached the Phoe-
Boston. and the family's been so basketball," Stevens said. schedule, to make sure nix Suns for three-plus sea-
Celtics coach Brad Ste- good to us. So, you don't "Game 3 is Game 3. You you're all right," Smart said. sons and took over the
vens said after the team even think about anything always want to play your "He constantly checks in Celtics' basketball op-
practiced Thursday that else. You just want him to best at this time of the on my family and every- erations in 2003. He was
he's been in frequent com- be comfortable and feel- year. Obviously, he really thing like that. Just person- named NBA executive of
munication with Ainge's ing great, getting better, cares about the result. We ally for me he's been like the year in 2008 after engi-
family. He said they all that it's a good prognosis." all really care about the re- another mentor for me. neering the deals for Kevin
seem to be doing well. Game 3 of the Celtics' se- sult. But this is a game. So, "From when I first got here Garnett and Ray Allen that
"That's all positive, but cer- ries with the Bucks is Friday that's what it is." Danny was that person helped the Celtics raise
tainly it's scary," Stevens night in Boston. Stevens' comments were I seen every day. ... He their record 17th champi-
said. "To me, he's a friend "This is much bigger than echoed by Celtics guard means a lot to my life as onship banner.q