DENVER — The Nuggets had the home court, the altitude, and a 12-point lead after one quarter. Uh oh. But wait. The Trail Blazers battled back to beat Denver 118-110 Monday night, improving to 5-1 and snapping an 18-game regular-season road losing streak in Denver. That’s not a typo. Eighteen straight losses in this building.
The first quarter was rough. Portland stumbled out of the gate, shooting poorly and trailing 31-19 after 12 minutes. Portland fans were already crying. Denver fans were already talking smack. My brother-in-law texted me (from Denver) with, “Are you ready for the Nugs to wipe the floor with the Blazers?”
Jamal Murray helped Denver set the tone, and for a while this looked like another long night for the Blazers in the Mile High City. But if the Nuggets thought the Blazers were going to roll over, they badly misread the room.
Portland started finding its rhythm in the second quarter, pushing the tempo and finally making Denver work on both ends. The Blazers were more aggressive from the perimeter and kept fighting for extra possessions. It wasn’t some flawless offensive clinic. It was a team refusing to let an ugly start define the night.
The comeback kept building through the third quarter. Deni Avdija gave Denver problems with his relentless attacks and finished with a team-high 28 points and five assists. Every time the Nuggets looked ready to put some distance between themselves and Portland, the Blazers found another answer.
And in the fourth? Portland finally took the lead and refused to let go. Toumani Camara buried a crucial late three, and Avdija followed with a jumper that helped shut the door. Denver had the stars and the crowd. Portland had the stronger finish. Sometimes that’s all the explanation you need.
Damian Lillard put up 20 points, six rebounds and six assists, finding ways to contribute even without a hot outside shooting night. Jrue Holiday delivered a superb all-around game off the bench with 17 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists. He probably won’t do that every night, but I’ll take it tonight.
Then there’s Donovan Clingan. The big man went to work on the glass, piling up 17 points and 18 rebounds, including a ridiculous nine offensive boards. Portland won the offensive-rebounding battle 21-9 and took 17 more shots than Denver. Clingan didn’t just collect rebounds. He stole extra chances from the Nuggets all night. This is the Clingan the Blazers need.
Give Denver’s stars their due: Jamal Murray scored 35, while Nikola Jokic added 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. But it still wasn’t enough. Portland hit 15 three-pointers to Denver’s nine, fought through the free-throw disparity, and walked out with the win. The Nuggets had plenty of reasons they should’ve won. The Blazers gave them one big reason they didn’t: Portland wanted it more when the game was on the line. 5-1. Keep sleeping on Rip City.
Next up: Portland visits Phoenix on Wednesday, November 4.
See the full Portland schedule here, including all the ways you can watch every Blazer game.
For the complete official player-by-player stats, see the full game box score.