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Fansided

Blazers beat Clippers, 105-96, but must wait to clinch playoff spot

By Matt George Moore

PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 30: CJ McCollum
PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 30: CJ McCollum /
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The Blazers needed to win and have either the Nuggets or the Timberwolves lose in order to secure a playoff spot.

The Blazers beat the Clippers Friday, 105-96, at the Moda Center. They entered the game with a chance to guarantee a playoff spot. But both Minnesota and Denver won their games. So that will have to wait.

But the good news was that the Blazers won. Here’s how it went down.

Blazers First Half

Neither team scored until almost three minutes had elapsed in the first quarter.

And Portland didn’t score until 8:38 was left in the first.

With 2:22 left in the first, the Blazers were up, 21-19.

First quarter ended like this:

In the second quarter, Portland took a six-point lead, 37-32, thanks to the Zach and Ed show: passing, rebounding and dunking.

It was a beautiful thing. Everybody got in on a little Zachmania.

Portland went on a 21-5 run to take a 16-point lead, 51-35.

At the half, it was 64-49 Blazers.

Blazers Second Half

Early in the third quarter, the Blazers got out to a 77-54 lead.

And they played so well into the fourth that Collins, Caleb Swanigan, Shabazz Napier and Pat Connaughton all got significant playing time. This was mostly due to Davis being out with a twisted ankle.

The Clippers did go on a run to get kinda close.

Next: Blazers loss in Memphis is just a bump on the road to awesome

But Portland kept LAC from getting too close and ultimately won the contest by a final score that was closer than the game really was.

Career high in scoring for Collins.

Next up: Sunday revenge game against the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies beat the Blazers last Wednesday. But that’s OK, as we argued here.

Hopefully Davis’ ankle sprain isn’t too serious. We all know how much we need that dude.