Denver Nuggets Extend Winning Streak Against Trail Blazers
On a night filled with impressive performances, Nikola Jokic led the way for the Denver Nuggets, scoring an impressive 40 points, as the Nuggets triumphed over the Portland Trail Blazers with a score of 146-117. This victory marks the Nuggets’ seventh consecutive win, further solidifying their momentum in the league.
Christian Braun contributed significantly with 26 points, while Jamal Murray added 17 points and dished out eight assists before receiving his second technical foul of the night. Additionally, Julian Strawther played a key role off the bench, finishing with 18 points. The Nuggets continue to battle without Michael Porter Jr., who is sidelined for the second game in a row due to hamstring tightness.
The Blazers were also dealing with some challenges, missing key players like Jerami Grant, Kris Murray, and Robert Williams III. Despite these absences, Donovan Clingan stepped up for Portland, scoring a career-high 21 points. Dalano Banton also made a notable contribution, adding 22 points. However, this loss marked the Blazers’ second straight defeat after a strong stretch of winning 10 out of their last 11 games.
Denver established an early advantage, leading by 17 points in the first quarter, and went into halftime with a score of 70-55. The Trail Blazers made an effort to close the gap, reducing their deficit to 78-71 at the start of the third quarter. Yet, the Nuggets quickly responded with a decisive 14-3 run, extending their lead to 112-92 by the end of the third frame.
A few important takeaways include the fact that the Trail Blazers allowed the most points since their previous strong performance, all while having limited the opposition to an average of 103.1 points during their recent winning streak, which was the best in the NBA at that time. For the Nuggets, Jokic’s recognition as the Western Conference player of the week underlines his exceptional play; this marks the third time this season and the 17th time overall that he has received this honor, with averages of 29.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 10.3 assists across four games, all victories for Denver.
A notable incident occurred early in the third quarter when Nuggets coach Michael Malone and Murray were both assessed technical fouls following a disagreement over a non-call involving Jokic. Murray was eventually ejected after an exchange with Banton, who had just made a free throw at the start of the fourth quarter.
In a key statistical note, although Portland had held their previous 12 opponents to an impressive shooting percentage of 44.2%, the Nuggets managed to shoot a blistering 65.9% from the field during the game.
Looking ahead, the two teams will face off again in Denver on Wednesday, which will be the final matchup before the All-Star break.
