The Denver Nuggets got into a track meet with the Portland Trail Blazers in the first half but pulled away in the second for a 128-112 home victory. Denver gave up 69 points to the Blazers in the first half but scored 72 of their own, then clamped down for the remainder of the game while getting to work on their small-ball and transition game against the short-handed Portland squad. Nikola Jokic had a triple double with 22 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists, Jamal Murray added 22 points and 7 assists, while Christian Braun and Cam Johnson combined for 34 points and some terrific steals and finishes. Peyton Watson had 14 points in his return from injury and looked athletic if a bit rusty, but he cleared out that rust by the end of the game.
Portland was led by Deni Avdija’s 23 points and 14 assists, while Donovan Clingan had 18 points and 13 rebounds, but Denver had 27 fast break points and 54 in the paint, attacking Portland before they could get back and set up any rim defense. Making 18 three-pointers didn’t hurt either. Denver next faces a back-to-back, their final one of the year, but with their whole squad finally available maybe they can make up some ground on the rest of the West this week in seeding.
Game Flow
The Nuggets won the tip and Jamal Murray immediately buried a jumper. Jokic rebounded a Portland miss and Cam swished a three that Donovan Clingan answered with a pair of threes for Portland. Jamal had a one-handed finish and then a three for a 10-6 early Denver lead. Nikola Jokic had a nice block but Portland recovered for a dunk, and Jamal hit another three as he started on fire. Clingan missed an oop attempt and Aaron Gordon got to the line through physical play. Jrue Holiday hit another three though as they stayed in touch through deep shots. Cam made a very deep shot for his second three-pointer, then Christian Braun and Sidy Cissoko traded layups. Cam Johnson had a good offensive rebound that he turned into a three, but the Blazers kept firing in threes to keep it to 23-19. Cam Johnson and Deni Avdija traded threes, then Joker took a break from assists to score a floater. Murray and Clingan kept raining threes, as both teams stayed red-hot from the field and had the game tied at 31 with 5 minutes left in the quarter. Jokic had another bucket, Cam had a great transition finish through contact, but Denver missed a couple of open corner threes and Murray botched a finger-roll finish. Peyton Watson finally returned to action and got fouled in transition to get his first point from the line, then airballed a floater the next time down. Watson rattled home a paint bucket on a curl, but the Blazers answered before Jokic drove and dunked. Jokic had a silly turnover and take foul, then airballed a three, and turned the ball over again after a Portland airball, but Watson’s drive and finish put Denver up 42-40 after one.
The teams traded buckets again to open the second quarter as Bruce Brown had a nice finish, and Watson had a paint bucket but Portland got it right back in transition. Spencer Jones bricked a three while Robert Williams had an easy finish the other way as the biggest guy on the floor with Watson and Jones trading off at center for Denver. Jamal hit a three, but Williams had another bucket – this one on an oop – as Denver just couldn’t stop Portland. Jamal stayed on fire with his 18th point of the game on a long pull-up, then Aaron Gordon came back in the game and hit a three. Scoot Henderson answered with one of his own though, and Robert Williams had another paint finish to cut it to 56-55 when Jokic came back in. Christian Braun had a three, then a great rebound from AG led to another tough Braun finish. Jokic missed a bunny but then found Bruce Brown in transition for a finish and a 63-58 lead. Bruce got fouled in transition for some free throws, Clingan finished a Portland oop after an offensive rebound, then hit another, while Jokic made a three to stem the tide. Christian and Joker both missed threes in the final minute, Avdija finished in the paint, then Hardaway got fouled in the corner for three free throws and took Denver into the break up 75-69.
Mal found AG for a dunk in the opening minute, while Jokic missed a three but made his next. The Blazers worked on drawing fouls on the other end, but Gordon and Braun attacked the rim themselves and CB got to the line for two points that gave Denver a double-digit lead at 82-71. Avdija and Gordon traded threes, then Cam his yet another really deep three to force a Portland timeout. Avdija got free throws, Murray missed a Denver three then botched a couple of plays and Portland hit another three. Joker had an incredible recovery and finish off an AG save, then had an easy layup that forced another Portland timeout. Cam Johnson and Nikola Jokic both had great passes to CB for finishes and then Cam got a steal and finish himself as Denver turned up the defensive pressure and ran in transition. A Jokic-to-Murray bucket made it 100-82, and Robert Williams traded buckets with Jokic. Avdija made an awkward floater, Hardaway and Cissoko traded threes, and Denver went into the fourth up 107-93.
Denver missed its first three shots of the final quarter, until Spencer Jones got a steal that led to a Murray finish. Then Brown and Spencer finished in transition after stops or turnovers and the rout was on. Scoot Henderson had a Portland layup, but Spencer Jones fired right back with a three. Watson had some troubles in the paint on offense as he missed some floaters and had a near-turnover, then lost his shoe and shot a three anyway (that he missed). He then found his way to the corner and buried a three, which Bruce Brown also did his next time down. Watson kept attacking as he started to find his sea legs with a finish over Clingan to put Denver up 126-106, answered by Camara. Aaron Gordon had a great dunk off a CB feed, and the last couple minutes were garbage time with a surprise appearance from a recently-recalled DaRon Holmes, who managed to have two offensive fouls drawn against him and then got a tech for giving the “too small” sign to Portland for them flopping in garbage time. The Nuggets were in good spirits and for good reason as they won going away, 128-112.
Final Thoughts
It was a tale of two halves. The Nuggets didn’t play a lick of defense in the first half, as Portland had 40 points in the first quarter and 69 at the half. The Nuggets came out with scoring passion in the first half but Cam Johnson aside treated the defensive part more like a scrimmage. In the second half Denver came out and immediately started closing down those first-half layup lines with some fouls and more physical play, then running on turnovers to create some space. Denver got out and really ran, which was great to see. Peyton Watson looked rusty but fast and explosive still. Christian and Cam were flying up and down the court. Jokic and Jamal kept a light hand on the steering wheel all game and Denver got the relatively easy win they were looking for at home without back-breaking effort. I don’t necessarily like Denver coasting for a half and then turning it on, but it’s March basketball and they made sure to spread the ball around and keep everyone engaged, and the guys who got the ball were aggressive in looking to score the ball which is really the trigger they all need to have going into the playoffs. It was a good win, and a nice showing with everyone finally back. There are only three weeks left in the regular season so every one of these games is a tuneup for the playoffs as well as a battle for seeding. Denver handled this tuneup just fine.
