Jokic Powers Nuggets Past Blazers, 116-113
The Portland Trail Blazers had their chances late to upset the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. Unfortunately, the Blazers couldn’t get it done as Denver won, 116-113, with Damian Lillard’s game-tying three missing just before the buzzer.
In the second game of a back-to-back for Denver, Nikola Jokic dominated with 40 points–on 15-of-23 shooting from the field–to go along with 10 rebounds and eight assists. Jokic won the battle with former teammate and Blazer center, Jusuf Nurkic, who finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.
Lillard finished with a team-high 26 points and seven assists. C.J. McCollum scored 18 points in the loss.
Portland also got decent nights from Evan Turner and Jake Layman, who each scored in double digits. Turner worked all over the floor on offense and defense and still managed 13 points and five assists. Layman shot an efficient five-of-six from the floor for 13 points.
The Blazers finished with 25-plus assists for the sixth straight game, which is the longest stretch with at least 25 assists since 2014.
The final game of the short two-game road trip wraps up for Portland in Sacramento Monday Night. The Kings sit in 10th in the crowded Western Conference. Sacramento is just 3.5 games behind the Blazers, who sit in the No. 4 seed right now.