Avdija Delivers in Fourth Quarter
Deni Avdija scored nine of his 28 points in the fourth quarter on Monday night, lifting the Portland Trail Blazers to a 118-110 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
The win extended Portland’s road winning streak to begin the season, pushing their early record to 4-0 away from home. The Trail Blazers are currently playing six out of seven games on the road following a season-opening home win against Phoenix.
Donovan Clingan Anchors Paint as Reserves Contribute
Donovan Clingan anchored the paint for Portland with 17 points and 18 rebounds. Off the bench, Jrue Holiday contributed a near triple-double with 17 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds. Damian Lillard added 20 points to the visiting effort.
Denver has lost two of its first three home games. The Nuggets’ only victory thus far came in an overtime battle against New Orleans after erasing a 23-point deficit.
Jokic Held Without Late Stats
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 35 points, while Nikola Jokic posted 26 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Jokic entered the fourth quarter on the threshold of his 201st career triple-double but was held without an assist or a rebound in the final period.
Late-Game Surge Secures the Win
Portland trailed for the first 32 minutes of the contest. Holiday broke the drought with a layup late in the third quarter, handing the Trail Blazers an 82-80 advantage. Denver recovered to take a two-point edge into the final frame, but Portland opened the fourth with a 9-2 run to seize a six-point lead.
Holiday later connected on Portland’s 14th three-pointer of the night to stretch the margin to 108-99. Murray answered with a three-pointer for Denver to trim the gap to 110-107, but Toumani Camara sealed the outcome with a final three-pointer for the Trail Blazers with 1:09 remaining on the clock.
Looking Ahead to Upcoming Matchups
The Trail Blazers travel to face Phoenix on Wednesday night, while the Nuggets host Toronto on Wednesday night.
