Jamal Murray appreciates the Denver Nuggets’ ability to rely on their championship experience when it matters most. He despises that they have to rely on it so frequently.
“I think we should just be a little bit more on point to start the game, not have to kick it into another gear,” Murray said after the Denver Nuggets recovered from a double-digit deficit to defeat the short-handed but determined Portland Trail Blazers 112-103 on Sunday night.
The reigning NBA champions trailed by 14 in the first half and did not grab their first lead until the final shot of the third quarter.
“I think we just got to be a little more conscious, a little more aware of the task at hand each and every night that we’re gonna get their best shot,” he added. “I think we can give our best shot, as well, from the start.”
Nikola Jokic led Denver with 29 points, Murray added 21 points on a 10-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and youngsters Christian Braun and Peyton Watson provided the spark down the stretch as the Nuggets won their second game in 48 hours against their division rivals.
Four other players reached double figures, including Watson, a rookie who scored 10 of his 12 points during the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter blitz, which improved Denver’s home record to 21-4.
The Nuggets never trailed by more than a bucket in their 120-108 victory over Portland on Friday night at Ball Arena, but they didn’t take the lead until the last seconds of the third quarter, when Jokic’s finger-roll layup broke an 84-84 tie.
The Blazers, who received 27 points from Deandre Ayton and 26 from Anfernee Simons, kept the sellout crowd quiet for the majority of the night. They were up 84-75 with 4:17 left in the third quarter when Matisse Thybulle missed his second of two free shots.
The next time they scored was on Kris Murray’s goal-tending bucket with 10:44 left, cutting Denver’s advantage to 91-86. During that stretch, the Blazers missed nine baskets, six of which were from long range, and turned the ball over three times as the Nuggets pulled away with a 16-0 run.
“Our defense improved as the game went on,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone remarked. “We had no defense. We had a small amount of defense. We have a lot more defense. And we had excellent defense.”
After stumbling late, the Blazers were far from discouraged.
“I thought we played well for the majority of the game, all the game, to be honest with you,” Simons was quoted as saying. “They are a good team. They made runs. They are a championship team. They’re an experienced team. We started with a lot of young guys, which isn’t unusual.
“So, I’m just glad we stuck with it and kept playing hard.” Overall, I’m pleased with how we played today.
The Blazers made just one 3-pointer in 13 attempts in the second half after making ten before halftime
Murray and Thybulle started in place of Jerami Grant, who missed his second game in a row due to lower back tightness, and Malcolm Brogdon, who is still out with a painful knee.
Reserve Scott Henderson, who turned 20 on Saturday and scored 30 points against the Nuggets the day before, finished with 14 in the rematch. Over the weekend, Portland coach Chauncey Billups emailed him a message of congratulations.
Jamal Murray appreciates the Denver Nuggets’ ability to rely on their championship experience when it matters most. He despises that they have to rely on it so frequently.
“I think we should just be a little bit more on point to start the game, not have to kick it into another gear,” Murray said after the Denver Nuggets recovered from a double-digit deficit to defeat the short-handed but determined Portland Trail Blazers 112-103 on Sunday night.
The reigning NBA champions trailed by 14 in the first half and did not grab their first lead until the final shot of the third quarter.
“I think we just got to be a little more conscious, a little more aware of the task at hand each and every night that we’re gonna get their best shot,” he added. “I think we can give our best shot, as well, from the start.”
Nikola Jokic led Denver with 29 points, Murray added 21 points on a 10-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and youngsters Christian Braun and Peyton Watson provided the spark down the stretch as the Nuggets won their second game in 48 hours against their division rivals.
Four other players reached double figures, including Watson, a rookie who scored 10 of his 12 points during the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter blitz, which improved Denver’s home record to 21-4.
The Nuggets never trailed by more than a bucket in their 120-108 victory over Portland on Friday night at Ball Arena, but they didn’t take the lead until the last seconds of the third quarter, when Jokic’s finger-roll layup broke an 84-84 tie.
The Blazers, who received 27 points from Deandre Ayton and 26 from Anfernee Simons, kept the sellout crowd quiet for the majority of the night. They were up 84-75 with 4:17 left in the third quarter when Matisse Thybulle missed his second of two free shots.
The next time they scored was on Kris Murray’s goal-tending bucket with 10:44 left, cutting Denver’s advantage to 91-86. During that stretch, the Blazers missed nine baskets, six of which were from long range, and turned the ball over three times as the Nuggets pulled away with a 16-0 run.
“Our defense improved as the game went on,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone remarked. “We had no defense. We had a small amount of defense. We have a lot more defense. And we had excellent defense.”
After stumbling late, the Blazers were far from discouraged.
“I thought we played well for the majority of the game, all the game, to be honest with you,” Simons was quoted as saying. “They are a good team. They made runs. They are a championship team. They’re an experienced team. “We started with a large group of young men, which is not uncommon.”So, I’m just thrilled we stuck with it and kept playing hard. Overall, I’m pleased with how we played today.
The Blazers made just one 3-pointer in 13 attempts in the second half after making ten before halftime.
Murray and Thybulle started in place of Jerami Grant, who missed his second game in a row due to lower back tightness, and Malcolm Brogdon, who is still out with a painful knee.
Reserve Scott Henderson, who turned 20 on Saturday and scored 30 points against the Nuggets the day before, finished with 14 in the rematch. Over the weekend, Portland coach Chauncey Billups emailed him a message of congratulations.
“I said, ‘Scoot, there aren’t many men in the entire world that can say they scored 30 points on the world champions as a teenager,” Billups recalled. ” “But you aren’t a teenager anymore. Let’s see what you’ll do in your twenties.
