<p>PORTLAND, Ore. &mdash; Nikola Jokic had 36 points and the Denver Nuggets eliminated the Portland Trail Blazers in six games with a 126-115 victory Thursday night. </p>
<p>Michael Porter Jr. added 26 points, including 22 in the opening quarter, for the third-seeded Nuggets. They await the outcome of the first-round series between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers. </p>
<p>Denver advanced to the Western Conference semifinals for the third straight season. </p>
<p>Damian Lillard finished with 28 points and 13 assists for the sixth-seeded Blazers. They led by 14 points in the third quarter but couldn’t stave off elimination. </p>
<p>Monte Morris hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to close Denver to 101-98 heading into the last period. Jokic hit a 3-pointer to put Denver ahead 108-106 and Denver stretched it to 117-108 on Austin Rivers’ 3 with 3:52 left. </p>
<p>Portland tired to catch up, getting to 121-115 on CJ McCollum’s layup, but Aaron Gordon hit a 3-pointer that all but sealed it for Denver with less than a minute to go. </p>
<p>The Nuggets took a 3-2 lead in the series with a 147-140 double overtime victory in Denver on Tuesday night. It spoiled Lillard’s epic playoff performance: He had 55 points, including 12 3-pointers, and 10 assists. It was the most 3-pointers ever in a playoff game. </p>
<p>The Blazers needed big man Jusuf Nurkic to stay out of foul trouble. Tasked with defending Jokic, he fouled out in three of the first five games. </p>
<p>Nurkic didn’t have a foul in the first half, but then had four quick fouls in the third quarter and had to head to the bench. </p>
<p>Porter had six 3-pointers in the first quarter alone, tying an NBA playoff record for most 3s a quarter. </p>
<p>Lillard hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Blazers a 68-61 lead at the half. He raised his arms to encourage the crowd as he headed off the floor. </p>
<p>TEAMMATE AWARD</p>
<p>Damian Lillard was honored before the game as the NBA’s Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award. The league’s players vote to recognize “selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.” Carmelo Anthony and CJ McCollum presented Lillard with the award. </p>
<p>TIP INS</p>
<p>Nuggets: Jamal Murray was in Portland for the game. He had stayed back in Denver for the previous two away playoff games because of his torn ACL. … Nuggets coach Michael Malone said his team had a Game 7 mindset going into the game, noting that Portland had 602 points through the first five games, compared to Denver’s 599.</p>
<p>Trail Blazers: Errick McCollum was at the game to watch his brother play in person for the first time in four years. Errick McCollum plays pro basketball for BC Khimki in Russia. … Lillard went into the game needing two 3-pointers for most ever in a playoff series, besting Donovan Mitchell’s record 33 3s last year. He got a pair in the opening quarter. </p>