Jokic’s Late Surge Saves Denver, Nuggets Beat Trail Blazers on the Road, 108-100

The Denver Nuggets defeated Portland Trail Blazers in what was the rematch of last year’s Western Conference semifinals. The match in Moda Center ended in guests’ favor, 108-100. As always when Nuggets play, the man of the night was Nikola Jokic, who stepped in when it mattered the most and pushed his team towards the first win of the season.

Jokic dropped 16 of his 20 points in the last period but was clinical when the Nuggets needed him the most. It was 89-88 for Denver once his show started. He scored 8 of the next 10 points, pushing his crew to a 97-90 advantage, including two back-to-back threes, which created a gap on the scoreboard.

Portland started the match well, getting a 17-9 lead, which didn’t last for too long. Already at the end of the opening quarter, the Nuggets came down to two points, 29-27. As time went by, the guests became better and better, and their first big lead was following Jamal Murray’s three-pointer with 4:06 left until the break, when guests had a 10-point edge, 49-39.

That distance would be active until the middle of the third quarter when hosts made an 8-0 run, bringing themselves back into the match. For one brief moment, they were up six points 79-73, once CJ McCollum buried a three, but then again, the Nuggets rolled back into the fight.

What kept the guests from Colorado alive was the excellent three-point percentages. Mike Malone’s guys made 18 threes in 32 attempts, while Portland managed to hit just 7 of 28. In all other aspects of the game, the teams were close, and we can say that downtown shooting presented a key factor for Denver’s triumph.

Jokic had a double-double with 20 points and 13 boards, shooting 8 for 14 from the field. Will Barton missed just once from the free-throw line, making 11 attempts, and totaling up to 19 points. Murray had 14 with 6 assists and 5 boards, while Paul Millsap added 11.

Among the hosts, except for Damian Lillard, there wasn’t anyone who might jump in and hurt the Nuggets from time to time. Dame ended the night with 32 buckets, 10 for 21, and 8 assists. The addition from Miami, Hassan Whiteside, had impressive 19 rebounds, along with 16 points, and was excellent with restraining Jokic until the final period. Back then, he couldn’t find a way to slow down the best center of the league last year.

Rodney Hood had 13 points, while McCollum delivered 12, 5 of 18 from the field.

Portland plays with the Sacramento Kings on the road this Friday, and after that has three more games away from Moda Center. In Dallas, San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

The Nuggets head back home to meet the Suns, then travel to Sacramento before coming back home again to face the Mavericks.