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The Best of the Day: June 1st, 2021
See the best of the day in sports from June 1, 2021 including Dame Time's historic playoff performance, LeBron's 1st Rd loss, and more!
Portland Trail Blazers/YouTube
The ‘Best of the Day’ is a daily PSO original series showcasing the most significant stories, highlights, and facts going on in the land of the NFL, NBA, & MLB every day. Get a recap on EVERYTHING that happened on 6/1 here.
Damian Lillard’s incredible Game 5 performance set new playoff records and showcased an amazing display of clutch shooting ability but it was Nikola Jokic who led his squad to a double overtime classic victory to take a crucial 3-2 series lead. ‘Dame Time’ proved to be the greatest clutch shooter ever after forcing OT periods on multiple occasions as he deserved Player of the Day honors despite the loss.
LeBron James is now one game away from his first ever first-round defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Suns while the first day of June marked the 24th anniversary of Michael Jordan’s GW buzzer-beater in NBA Finals Game 1, which is still the most recent game-winning NBA Finals buzzer-beater to this day.
Here is the best of the day from June 1, 2021:
Dame Time went off for playoff record 12 3PM & 55 PTS but Nuggets won 2OT thriller
In a thrilling Game 5 between Denver and Portland, the Nuggets outlasted the Blazers in double overtime despite 55 points and multiple clutch shots from Damian Lillard. No one else on Portland reached the 20-point mark. Nikola Jokic had 38 and was one assist from a triple-double, while MPJ added 26. Dame has been having a sensational series, averaging 35.6 points per game, but his team still trails 3-2 in the series despite some amazing clutch shots in an instant 2OT classic.
Watch the top plays down the stretch as the @nuggets outlasted Portland in a Game 5 DOUBLE OT THRILLER!
— NBA (@NBA) June 2, 2021
Denver takes 3-2 lead... Game 6: Thursday at 8pm/et on TNT. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/S2mYLZdxnD
Nikola Jokic (38 PTS, 11 REB, 9 AST) fills up the stat sheet in the @nuggets thrilling Game 5 win!
— NBA (@NBA) June 2, 2021
With DEN leading the series 3-2, Game 6 is Thursday at 8pm/et on TNT. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/rxAOgo9WYp
Most threes in a playoff game:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 2, 2021
12 — Damian Lillard (tonight)
11 — Klay Thompson
10 — Damian Lillard
9 — Damian Lillard pic.twitter.com/Sux1c2lBwK
Nikola Jokic last night:
— Justin Kubatko (@jkubatko) June 2, 2021
✅ 38 PTS
✅ 11 REB
✅ 9 AST
✅ 4 BLK
Since the NBA started tracking blocks in 1973-74, no other player has matched or exceeded all four of those totals in a postseason game. pic.twitter.com/6w06lUyPLE
Denver Nuggets vs. Portland Trail Blazers Game 5 was the 2nd Playoff game featuring each team reaching 140+ PTS in NBA history pic.twitter.com/BzRZW2q2aA
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) June 2, 2021
Related: Stories of the Day
DAMIAN LILLARD IS THE GREATEST CLUTCH SHOOTER TO EVER LIVE
Portland made the Western Conference Finals just two years ago, and were looking to go back in a postseason poised to have plenty of upsets, along with a favorable first round matchup with Denver, who is missing Jamal Murray. However, their star point guard has given them everything they could’ve asked for, and still sit facing two elimination games in the first round. Their frontcourt has been dominated by Denver’s all series, and it looks like Dame Time will need some more help on that end to get back to where they were two seasons ago.
While the loss is what matters when it comes to Portland’s playoff aspirations, Lillard’s legendary performance deserves some credit and acknowledgement for his incredible Game 5 showing. If this was a one-off or a fluke, then that would be one thing, but ‘Dame Time’ has become synonymous with delivering in the big moments and nobody does it better away from the basket than Lillard himself. He already has the t-most series-ending buzzer-beaters in NBA history and a few all-time playoff moments fueled by clutch jump shots. Lillard now owns three of the four most 3PM during 1 game in NBA postseason history as well.
COLORS KEY | FULL BLAZERS OUTLOOK
ANOTHER HUGE 3 FOR DAME 😳 pic.twitter.com/ktNw2TOH15
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 2, 2021
Related: NBA Takeaways of the Day
Dame Time was insane in DEN
DAME. TIME. ⌚️ pic.twitter.com/B2vZ3XyfMK
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 2, 2021
DAME. AGAIN. 🔥
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 2, 2021
2OT IN DENVER! pic.twitter.com/PFOWv7BzS6
Related: NBA Highlights
PG Damian Lillard, POR (L @DEN): 55 PTS (17-24 FG | 12-17 3P), 10 AST, 6 REB, 3 BLK, 1 STL, 1 TO
#PlayerOfTheDay (6/1/21) - PG Damian Lillard, POR
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) June 2, 2021
TOP FACTS:
- Most 3PM (12) during 1 playoff GP in NBA history
- 1st player with 55+ PTS & 10+ 3PM during 1 playoff GP
- 1st player w/ 50+ PTS/10+ AST/10+ 3PM during any GP
KEY STATS:
55 PTS, 10 AST, 3 BLK, 17-24 FG, 12-17 3P https://t.co/K5y8GK2kVl
Related: Players of the Day
Portland Trail Blazers (140) vs. Denver Nuggets (147)
[Highlights] #3 @NUGGETS (-130; $10.80) d. #6 BLAZERS (+110; $11.20) 147-140 (2OT) [DEN -2 | o226] (DEN 3-2)
Related: Games of the Day
Related: Facts of the Day
LeBron’s Undefeated 1st Round Record is on the Brink of Ending Without AD by Tyler Keller
King James has never lost in the 1st round but that could be about to change
LeBron James is 14-0 in the 1st round but that undefeated streak is on the brink of ending without Anthony Davis.
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) June 3, 2021
FULL story, highlights, facts, and more!https://t.co/ysF8zJU7k6
Related: Latest PSO Posts
DATE: June 1, 1997
SIGNIFICANCE: Michael Jordan drained his 9th and final GW buzzer-beater (most ever) to win NBA Finals Game 1
June 1, 1997: Chicago #Bulls SG Michael Jordan drained the final of his 9 career GW buzzer-beaters (most ever) to defeat the Utah Jazz in Game 1 after Karl Malone's 2 clutch missed FTs. It’s the most recent buzzer-beater in the NBA Finals to this daypic.twitter.com/un5l7I8uqX
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) June 1, 2021
Related: Significant Sports History
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