The Denver Nuggets are set to play in their second seven-game series of this postseason after falling to the Portland Trail Blazers in Thursday night's Game 6 matchup.
According to Basketball-Reference, this marks the first time in Nuggets franchise history that the team will play in consecutive seven-game playoff series'.
The San Antonio Spurs took the Nuggets to seven games in the first round of the 2018-19 playoffs, marking Denver's first Game 7 matchup at home since 1978. After a back-and-forth battle, the Nuggets managed to advance into the second round, where they're now battling the Trail Blazers.
With their postseason hopes hanging in the balance, Denver will play in a second consecutive seven-game series. It will be just the third time since the Nuggets became an NBA franchise (moving from the ABA in 1976) that they will host a Game 7.
The series between Portland and Denver has been a tightly-contested affair, with neither side wavering much. Blazers point guard Damian Lillard led his team in Game 6 to stave off elimination, scoring 32 points on 11-of-23 shooting from the field (6-of-13 from beyond the arc). And just for the record, 17 of Lillard's points came in the third quarter alone.
“I thought our Game 6 here in Portland was better than our Game 6 in San Antonio,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone told ESPN after Game 6. “Now we go home and have the best home-court advantage in the NBA.”
If the Nuggets defeat the Trail Blazers in Game 7, they'll be heading to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2009. All in all, Denver has made it to the conference finals three times in franchise history.
Whichever team wins will advance to face the winner of the series between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. Golden State is currently holding a 3-2 series lead after their 104-99 victory on Wednesday night. The Rockets will host Game 6 on Friday night.
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