One of the driving forces of Nigeria’s D’Tigers, Al-Farouq Aminu, was the man on point for the Trail Blazers against the LA Clippers on Monday night with 30 points.

The Blazers have now tied the NBA Playoff series at 2-2 by winning 98-84. Aminu also added 10 rebounds to his all-round court display.

Blazers manager, Terry Scotts, said in the post-game interview that he “loves the energy” with which his team played and they have to take that attitude to Los Angeles for Game 5 of the series.

Scotts added that Aminu 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.

“You know it was just a matter of time. Obviously, he has struggled shooting the ball in the last three games but that didn’t take away from what he was giving us defensively.

“But it was good to see him break out. Everybody has been encouraging him and he is put in the time and like I said, I knew it was just a matter of time.

“I have a routine and you have to keep on trusting it,” Aminu told reporters at the post-game conference.

“Some of the greatest shooters have gone through slumps but I always did what I have been doing all season and believed in what I was doing.”

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.