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Trail Blazers Improve to 5-1 With Impressive Comeback Win Over Nuggets
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- Trail Blazers Improve to 5-1 With Impressive Comeback Win Over Nuggets
(Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)
The Portland Trail Blazers have moved to 5-1 on the season, including 4-0 on the road, after overcoming a 12-point first-quarter deficit and an eight-point halftime deficit in a 118-110 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
Portland trailed for most of the first three quarters before Jrue Holiday gave the Blazers their first lead late in the third period. Denver briefly reclaimed the advantage, but Portland continued to fight and eventually took control down the stretch.
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A 9-2 run in the fourth quarter helped the Blazers establish momentum and build an advantage that ultimately proved to be the difference. Denver did fight back to get within three points in the final minutes, but Toumani Camara hit a huge corner 3-pointer with just over a minute remaining to help seal the victory.
Deni Avdija was phenomenal in this game, continuing to step up in Ja Morant's absence. He finished with 28 points and five assists, leading the way offensively for Portland and providing a consistent scoring presence throughout the night.
Damian Lillard added 20 points, giving the Blazers another dynamic perimeter scoring option. Donovan Clingan had a massive game in the paint, finishing with 17 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks while making his presence felt on both ends of the floor.
Holiday was another player who stepped up in the absence of Morant, nearly recording a triple-double with 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. His ability to facilitate the offense while also contributing as a scorer and rebounder was critical to Portland's success.
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For Denver, Jamal Murray had a strong performance with 35 points, while Nikola Jokic finished with 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. While those are still impressive numbers, it's a relatively average performance by Jokic's standards, and the Blazers did a good job limiting his overall impact.
Both inside and out, Portland found ways to control this game, especially in the second half. The Blazers dominated on the glass, grabbing 21 offensive rebounds compared to Denver's nine, creating additional second-chance opportunities throughout the night.
Portland also connected on 15 3-pointers compared to just nine for Denver, showcasing the team's ability to generate offense in multiple ways.
It was an impressive inside-out performance from the Blazers and arguably one of their best wins of the young season. At 5-1, Portland is quickly establishing itself as one of the teams to beat in the Western Conference.
With a matchup against the Phoenix Suns coming Wednesday, the Blazers will have another opportunity to move to 6-1 and continue climbing the Western Conference standings.
