Denver • Portland guard/forward Rodney Hood remains hopeful he can play in the opening game of the Western Conference Finals after hyperextending his left knee.
Hood left Game 7 on Sunday against Denver after colliding with Nuggets forward Torrey Craig on a screen in the third quarter. Hood stayed down on the floor, clutching at his left knee as trainers checked on him. Hood was helped into the locker room.
He had six points in 20 minutes as the Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets 100-96 to advance.
“They checked my knee and everything was stable,” said Hood, formerly of the Utah Jazz. “Major relief.”
Game 1 of the conference finals is Tuesday night at Golden State.
“Day-by-day,” Hood said. “Hopefully the pain goes down. Hopefully it’s feeling better by Tuesday.”
In a Game 6 win at Portland, Hood had 25 points. Nuggets coach Michael Malone referred to him as the “MVP of the series.”
