The Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns still hold the NBA record for the most points scored in a playoff game. Their epic Game 4 double overtime shootout in the 1992 Western Conference Semifinals, ended with the Blazers winning 153-151, and Portland taking a 3-1 series lead.
Back in the spring of 1992, it was an incredible time to be a Portland Trail Blazers fan. The team finished the regular season with a 57-25 record and the number one seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. Fans were
rabid for atonement from the prior season, when the team lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers after finishing with a franchise-best record of 63-19. Superstar shooting guard Clyde Drexler would go on to finish as the runner-up in the MVP voting, making it the highest finish for any Blazer not named Bill Walton, who won it in 1978. After 3 straight seasons of owning the West’s top seed, Portland was locked in on capturing their second NBA Championship.
The Blazers kicked off the first round by getting revenge on a decimated Lakers team, throttling them 3-1 when the first round was still a best-of-five series. It was also the first time Portland had beaten the Lakers in the playoffs since their championship season in 1977. Next up was the formidable, 4th-seeded Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix was led by an all-star trio of PG Kevin Johnson, SG Jeff Hornacek, and 6th Man extraordinaire “Thunder” Dan Majerle. The Suns finished tied with the Chicago Bulls for the best home record that season at 36-5, and were looking to tie the series up at 2-2 after beating Portland 124-117 in Game 3.
Drexler and the Blazers had other ideas for Game 4. Both teams came out and traded buckets early in the first quarter and found themselves tied at 17 apiece midway through. Then Portland’s 3rd ranked defense put the clamps on the Suns, leading to an 18-4 run that pushed the Blazers to a 42-29 lead to end the first. Drexler and his backcourt mate, Terry Porter, put on a clinic and combined to outscore their Phoenix guard counterparts 24-8 on 9/9 shooting in the opening stanza.
The second quarter opened with the Blazers still on fire after setting a franchise playoff record for most points scored in the first quarter. Midway through the second quarter they were shooting an absurd 72% for the game. Phoenix scrapped and clawed behind Johnson, Majerle, and veteran power forward Tom Chambers. They’d outscore Portland 36-32 in the quarter. Danny Ainge was the major spark plug for Portland in the second frame, and capped the first half with a modern day 28-foot three-pointer at the buzzer. The Blazers led 74-65 at halftime.
The Blazers came out in the third with the same vigor to keep to the pressure on the Suns. Drexler and Porter kept the hot hand until the midway part of the quarter until finally Phoenix came alive. Kevin Johnson and Tom Chambers led the way to an 11-2 run that got the home crowd into the game for the first time. Portland went through a cold spell that saw them have 7 consecutive scoreless possessions, while the Suns kept putting the pressure on the offensive end. Phoenix was able to tie the game at 91-91 sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Danny Ainge came in and was a calming force for Portland, scoring 5 quick points.
Kevin Johnson put Phoenix ahead 100-98 for their first lead since it was 4-2. Portland took some good hits, but didn’t waver while grinding their way to take a 104-100 lead into the fourth quarter.
Phoenix opened the fourth quarter on a 10-2 run to go up 110-106. Portland only scored two points in the first 4 minutes before Jerome Kersey hit a deep two. That was followed up with a three by Ainge and another bucket from Drexler. The teams would trade baskets throughout the rest of the quarter. One thing that triggered some anxiety was Portland’s penchant for self-inflicted wounds in crucial situations. There’s a possession with about 3 minutes remaining and the Blazers down five, where Kevin Duckworth receives a simple post entry pass that he loses control of and attempts to chase down the ball as it trickles out of bounds. Portland found themselves down 123-118 with under 2 minutes remaining before back to back midrange jumpers from Kersey and Uncle Cliffy. Phoenix would answer before Terry Porter would make the most improbable layup in the land of trees, plus the “And 1”, fouling out starting center Andrew Lang. With the score knotted up at 127 apiece, Phoenix had the last shot with 6 seconds left, and muffed their opportunity for a win by Williams and Kersey smothering Majerle forcing him to lose the ball as time expired. We’re going to overtime!
Portland quickly went up by four in OT before Cliff Robinson fouled out with 16 much needed points off the bench. Kevin Johnson played like a man possessed and refused to yield. He made some huge plays to keep the Suns alive. The first overtime wasn’t pretty, but it was a great display of professional athletes giving their all on each possession. Phoenix was desperate to tie the series going back to Portland, while the Blazers salivated for the commanding 3-1 lead. Portland would also lose Buck Williams to his 6th foul with a minute left, and Tom Chambers would as well for the Suns, after dropping 29 points. It looked like Portland had wrapped things up. They were ahead 140-138 before stripping Jeff Hornecek of the ball, leading to a runout where Porter got fouled with 8 seconds left. Porter, usually around a 90% free throw shooter, could have iced the game, but missed both and gave Phoenix life once more. Once again, the future Mayor of Sacramento, KJ, calmly hit an 18-footer over Porter to tie it up and send it to the second overtime.
Phoenix’s hero then fouled out in the first 30 seconds of the second OT. The Suns’ resolve was great, and Portland was getting tired. With just over a minute to go, Phoenix led 149-146. Drexler bull rushed his way to the rim and was fouled. He made both free throws. The Suns missed their next shot, and Kevin Duckworth was fouled while going for the rebound. He went to the charity stripe, and calmly knocked down both of them, putting Portland ahead 151-149. Dan Majerle stepped up on the next possession to hit a bank shot from 12 feet to tie it one more time with 25 seconds left. Duckworth was fouled during his baby hook attempt, and made 1 of 2 two free throws. Phoenix had one last chance for the win, but little used Tony Burtt found the ball in his hands and his shot rimmed in and out. Portland rebounded, and Porter was fouled. He made 1 of 2 (a horrific overall FT showing by the normally automatic Porter), and that’s all it took as Phoenix’s last gasp ended when Majerle fired a super long three for the win that bounced off the back iron.
Stat Leaders POR:
Drexler: 33 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 blks
Porter: 31 points, 14 assists, 6 rebounds
Ainge: 25 points, 4/6 3PT
Kersey 21 points, 10 rebounds
Robinson 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blks
Duckworth 14 points, 6 rebounds
Stat Leaders PHO:
Johnson: 35 points, 14 assists, 6 rebounds
Chambers: 29 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blks
Hornacek: 23 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds
Majerle: 21 points, 11 rebounds, 2 stls
Ceballos: 19 points, 6 rebounds
One of the greatest things of being a fan in this era, was that almost any time Portland was faced with adversity in close games, they more often than not made the plays to secure the win. It felt like watching a comforting action movie you knew the ending to. There was an unwavering faith in the West Playoffs in 1990-1992, that when the dust settled, the Portland Trail Blazers would be the ones left standing. Whether it was a clutch bucket by Terry Porter, a key rebound by Buck Williams, or a game breaking play by Clyde Drexler or Jerome Kersey, there was a sense of certainty Portland would come out on top that hasn’t existed ever since.
You can watch this game in all of its beautiful graininess on YouTube, complete with 1992 commercials, and a solo Ernie Johnson with hair in the TNT studio.
