The Portland Trail Blazers held off a 35-point night from Jamal Murray to beat the Denver Nuggets 118-110 on Monday at Ball Arena, improving to 5-1. Deni Avdija scored 28 points and Donovan Clingan posted 17 points and 18 rebounds to lead Portland’s bench-depleting frontcourt effort.
The Trail Blazers trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half before a 39-point second quarter flipped the game. Murray led all scorers for Denver, which fell to 3-3, while Nikola Jokic added 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the loss.
Key Moments: How Portland Erased An Early Deficit
Denver controlled the opening frame, building a 19-31 lead after Trevon Brazile’s putback dunk at the first-quarter buzzer. The Nuggets shot efficiently early, with Murray and Jokic combining to carry the offense while Christian Braun added early buckets off assists from both big men.
Portland’s response came in the second quarter, when the Trail Blazers outscored Denver 39-35 to cut into the deficit. Damian Lillard scored 13 of his 20 points in the period, including a 26-foot three-pointer off a Robert Williams III assist, while Avdija and Sidy Cissoko added buckets in transition. The Trail Blazers used a balanced attack rather than one player taking over, spreading the scoring across six contributors in the frame.
Portland’s defense tightened in the third quarter, holding Denver to 21 points while scoring 27 of its own to take control. The Trail Blazers closed the game with 33 fourth-quarter points, finishing what they started with their second-quarter surge. Portland finished with a 54-44 edge in points in the paint, a margin built largely on Clingan’s interior presence.
Top Performers
Avdija led Portland with 28 points on 10-of-22 shooting, adding three rebounds and five assists. Clingan’s double-double of 17 points and 18 rebounds included four blocks and a plus-10 rating, the best mark among Portland’s starters. Lillard finished with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists on 9-of-10 shooting from the free-throw line. Jrue Holiday led all players with 10 assists.
For Denver, Murray’s 35 points came on 10-of-19 shooting with four made three-pointers and a perfect 11-for-11 night at the free-throw line. Jokic nearly posted a triple-double with 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, though he finished with a minus-3 rating. Christian Braun added 14 points off the bench in 37 minutes.
What It Means
Portland’s win pushed the Trail Blazers to 5-1 and into first place in the Northwest Division, a half-game ahead of Oklahoma City. The victory also gave Portland a 1-0 lead in the season series against Denver. The Trail Blazers finished 43-of-92 from the field (47%) and 15-of-41 from three-point range (37%), while out-rebounding the Nuggets 53-37, including a 21-9 advantage on the offensive glass.
Denver dropped to 3-3 and fourth in the Northwest, two games behind Portland. The Nuggets shot 47% from the field but were outworked on the boards and committed 12 turnovers that Portland converted into 13 points. Denver’s 29-of-34 mark at the free-throw line reflected an aggressive drive to the basket, but it wasn’t enough to offset Portland’s rebounding edge.
What’s Next
The Trail Blazers continue their stretch with their next matchup still to be finalized on the schedule following Monday’s win. The Nuggets will look to bounce back as they try to climb back in the Northwest standings after dropping to 3-3. Portland has now won two straight games, a stretch that began after a loss to the Grizzlies, who improved to 5-0 against the Trail Blazers earlier this season.
Portland’s frontcourt rotation, which includes Clingan and Robert Williams III, has become a focal point for coach Chauncey Billups as the Trail Blazers build on an offseason that saw Portland’s roster reshaped, including the recent decision to waive forward Jeremy Sochan. The win follows Portland’s season-opening statement, when the Trail Blazers routed the Suns 124-83 to open the year.
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