Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum was asked about his 37 points in his group ’s 100-96 win over the Nuggets on Sunday, propelling them to the Western Conference final for the first time in 19 years.

However, McCollum’s face only really lit up when he was asked about his lone shot in the Blazers’ Game 7 victory.

Leading by four points with under five minutes remaining, McCollum sprinted down the court for a chase-back block of Jamal Murray’s lay-up. Torrey Craig’s 3-pointer off the rally misfired and Portland quickly stretched its advantage to six points.

“(Guard) Seth (Curry) did a good job cutting off (Murray’s) lane and he put it right there for me (to block) and I went and got it LeBron (James) Style,” McCollum said. “It was a play that is cool. I might need to get a picture of that one. ”

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver PostCJ McCollum (3) of the Portland Trail Blazers runs down Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets for a key block during the fourth quarter of the Trail Blazers’ series-clinching 100-96 win on Sunday, May 12, 2019. The Denver Nuggets versus the Portland Trail Blazers in game seven of those groups ’ second round NBA playoff series at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

McCollum will have lots of moments to look back on as picture-worthy, though, as he carried the Blazers, giving a first-half heartbeat (15 points) and a second-half completing kick (22).

“Start to finish, he was huge,&rdquo Zach Collins said. “He kept us in the match. ”

Trailing by 16 in the second quarter, McCollum helped cut the deficit to nine points at halftime with three championships in four possessions.

McCollum’s string of four consecutive points late in the third quarter (of his 14 in the period) gave the Blazers their first lead (71-70)

And in the fourth quarter, there was the aforementioned block, followed by a 17-footer with 2:37 remaining (to make it 94-87), a 16-foot pull-up at the 1:25 mark (making it 96-93) and a step-back jumper with 12.4 seconds left (to push the lead to 98-95).

“I believed I was competitive,” said McCollum, who tried only three 3-point shots (one make). “Before the game, my brother texted me and told me never to settle — get to the rim as much as possible. ”

McCollum completed the series with a 26.4-point average and helped the Blazers win their first-ever Game 7 on the road. His output was the fourth-most of his 42-game postseason career.

The Blazers needed every bit of McCollum’s production. They missed 22 of the 26 attempts. Guard Damian Lillard was 3 of 17 from the field. No other player scored more than 14 points.

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“Our crime was really poor & rdquo, the entire first half; Portland coach Terry Stotts said.  “You know it’s a very long game, it’s a Game 7 and you don’t have any choice except to keep fighting. ”

The Blazers had runs of 16-8 and 10-4 to trail by one entering the fourth and took the lead for good on Collins’ 2 free throws with 9:35 left.

Leaning on McCollum was enough for Portland to get past the Nuggets. It will need Lillard and McCollum against Golden State.

“It’s a luxury to have two guys like that who can score in different ways,” Stotts said. “On a night where (Lillard) struggled shooting the ball, CJ came up big. ”

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