PORTLAND, ORE. — Momentum was hard to come by Sunday, and even when the Thunder seemed to find some, it went awry.
And so nothing seemed quite so unlikely as positivity snowballing in Oklahoma City's direction in the final minutes Sunday at the Moda Center.
For a stretch, though, it did. And for a fleeting moment, it seemed one surge might be enough.
Ultimately, the Blazers withstood a surge it seemed might never come from the Thunder, beating OKC 103-99 in a nail-biter that Portland once seemed on the verge of making a blowout.
Damian Lillard finished with 36 points and 13 assists for Portland, one of three Blazers with at least 22 points.