McCollum’s shot lifts Blazers to 112-111 win over Raptors

By Erik Garcia Gundersen/ Yahoo Sports

 

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 30 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 9.6 seconds left to give the Portland Trail Blazers a 112-111 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

Damian Lillard added 23 points and Carmelo Anthony scored 20 off the bench for the Blazers, who erased a 17-point deficit and overcame Pascal Siakam’s first career triple-double of 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Siakam’s potential game-winning shot rimmed out on the final play — for the second time in two nights. The same thing happened to him in a one-point loss Sunday to Golden State.

Portland starting center Jusuf Nurkic went to the locker room in the first half with a bruised quadriceps and did not return. His replacement, Enes Kanter, did a solid job filling in with 14 points and six rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.

Siakam gave the Raptors a 111-110 lead with 54 seconds left on a cutting layup. After an empty Blazers possession, Fred VanVleet missed a jumper on the other end for Toronto before McCollum put Portland ahead.

Siakam was dominant early, racking up 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the first quarter, which he capped by hitting a jumper at the buzzer. Toronto held a 32-21 lead after the Blazers shot just 36% in the period.