The Nuggets Trounced The Blazers To Take A 3-2 Series Lead

The first four games of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers provided all kinds of drama. Game 4 was particularly compelling, with Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic leading the Nuggets to a road victory, but the back-and-forth nature of the match up set the stage for a must-see contest for Game 5 on Tuesday evening. Unfortunately for the casual observer, the fifth installment was not as compelling, as the Nuggets trounced the Blazers on the way to a dominant 124-98 victory.

The festivities began with struggles from the Blazers and the Nuggets took advantage right away. Portland missed their first six shots and Denver zoomed to a 9-2 early lead as a result.

The Blazers would warm up, though, using a 10-2 run to tie the game at 18-18 and seemingly settle into a competitive environment.

That uptick proved to be short-lived through the prism of the first half, with the Nuggets responding to the tune of a 10-2 run to retake control. During that spurt, Paul Millsap asserted himself and the veteran forward led the way with 12 points in the first quarter.

Not to be outdone, Jokic submitted the highlight of the quarter with a ridiculous full-court pass.

Denver took a six-point lead into the second quarter and, in the blink of an eye, that advantage more than doubled in size with an 8-0 run.

The Blazers wouldn’t fade entirely, slashing the margin back to 49-41, but it was all Nuggets after that, with Murray keying a 9-0 run to take a 58-41 edge.

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When Millsap connected on a four-point play with less than a minute remaining, Denver took a 20-point lead that left Portland wobbly to say the least.

The first half belonged fully to Denver’s starters, with 19 points (on 10 shots) for Millsap, a double-double for Jokic and 11 explosive points for Murray. All told, the Nuggets scored at a rate of more than 1.3 points per possession with off-the-charts shooting and that left the Blazers in a wounded position as the second half arrived.

In the early going of the third quarter, Portland showed faint signs of life, cutting the deficit to a relatively manageable place at 70-55. Immediately, Denver threw a counter-punch in the form of a 21-5 run, with Millsap and Murray continuing to cook on both ends as the lead grew to a staggering 31 points.

That explosion essentially ended the competitive portion of the evening, allowing for a full quarter of full-on garbage time as both teams prepared for the looming Game 6 in Portland. The Blazers did begin the fourth quarter with more inspired play (and an 11-0 run) but, eventually, Denver’s starters returned the floor to restore order and ensure the end result.

In terms of noteworthy activity, a flagrant foul was assessed to Meyers Leonard for contact with Jokic (prompting a verbal altercation)… even if the call itself appeared to be questionable at best.

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Individually, Jokic finished with 25 points, 19 rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes (before fouling out), with Millsap adding 24 points and eight rebounds, and Murray contributing 18 points and nine assists. On the Portland side, there were few bright spots, with Damian Lillard scoring 22 points but virtually the entire roster struggling to maintain efficiency.

All told, the Nuggets were electric in dominating for the vast majority of the night and, in contrast, the Blazers struggled mightily to generate productive activity (including just 37 percent shooting from the floor and 16 of 30 from the free throw line as a team) on either end of the floor. The two teams will square off on Thursday evening, with Portland facing a “win or go home” scenario in front of their home crowd.