In the Portland Trail Blazers' first-round series, it was Damian Lillard who provided the heroics and helped propel his team to the next round. In the Western Conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets, Lillard's backcourt mate C.J. McCollum took up the mantle.

McCollum scored 37 points in Game 7 to send the Blazers to the Western Conference Finals. He averaged over 26 points per game for the series, but that number hardly tells the whole story. The former Lehigh University star scored at least 30 points in three of Portland's four victories in the series and twice scored more than 37, including a 41-point performance in a sensational Game 3 that went to four overtimes.

Portland head coach Terry Stotts said that their strategy was not necessarily meant to get McCollum the ball on every possession, but McCollum demanded the rock down the stretch.

While Lillard shot just 3-of-17 in Game 7 and had a mostly inefficient series, McCollum helped carry the load and was especially productive down the stretch. McCollum scored 20 points in the second half and hit three crucial mid-range jumpers in the fourth quarter to keep Portland in control of the game.

The 27-year-old could not have picked a better time to get hot, with the Blazers now heading into yet another playoff series against the Golden State Warriors.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were in a groove of their own in Game 5 and Game 6 of their series against the Houston Rockets, with Curry in particular bouncing back from their early shooting woes.

The series likely features the two best backcourts in the league, and McCollum will need to be just as dynamic if the Trail Blazers hope to finally get past the Warriors.