NBA PLAYOFFS: Aminu scores career-high 30 points in Blazers win over Clippers

NIGERIA'S Al-Farouq Aminu was key for the Portland Trail Blazers as they tied their Western Conference playoff series with the Los Angeles Clippers at the Moda Center on Monday night.

The D’Tigers’ Power forward scored 30 points, a career high for both the regular season and the playoffs as the Blazers beat Clippers 98-84 to tie the NBA Playoff series at 2-2.

Aminu -- called "Chief" by his teammates -- made 11 of 20 shots from the field, including six of 10 from 3-point range. The 6-foot-9 forward also had 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.

It was a strict departure from the way the 25 year old played offensively in the first three games of the series, averaging 9.3 points on 29.7 percent shooting -- including 4-for-20 from 3-point range.

Blazers manager, Terry Scotts who said power forward was a key factor in the win as he was able to shoot the ball better than he had done in the previous three playoff games.

“Obviously he struggled shooting the ball the first three games, but that didn’t take away from what he was giving us defensively. It was good to see him break out. Everybody has been encouraging him and he’s put in the time and, like I said, it was just a matter of time before he had a game like that.”

 

Maybe not like that. Aminu's previous career playoff high was 16 points. He has never scored more than 28 in a regular-season game.

"Some of the greatest shooters have gone through slumps," Aminu said. "I remember Ray Allen going through a slump in the Finals one year. Sometimes that just happens. If it can happen to Ray Allen, it can happen to me. You just don't get too high, you don't get too low no matter what happens."

The Blazers will be more confident on their trip to Los Angeles for Game 5 as it was revealed after the game that Chris Paul had broken a bone in his right hand and may not be returning for the series.

Paul scored the first 12 points for the Clippers team on Monday and they are definitely a lesser team without him as he is their conductor-in-chief. Blake Griffin could also be absent for Game 5 with a quad injury.