HEADLINES

Murray’s 19-point fourth quarter sends Lillard, Blazers home with loss

Feb 24, 2021, 6:45 AM

Nikola Jokic had it going early. Armed with an ever-expanding arsenal of spin moves, fadeaway shots and bull rushes, the Nuggets’ All-Star scored 23 first-half points on 9-of-17 shooting while putting the visiting Trail Blazers on their heels. Jokic dismissed everything that Portland threw at him after the game, noting in his usual, jovial manner.

“I think when you think, sometimes you overthink,” the Joker said. “I’m just going to play the game.”

On his way to 41 points, Jokic’s early dominance might have made the game a laugher at halftime were it not for Carmelo Anthony — the Blazers’ forward that was once the centerpiece of the Nuggets a decade ago. Anthony, who wore the No. 15 with the Nuggets that Jokic wears now, turned back the clock with a clever array of isolation moves that saw him put up 16 second-quarter points, keeping Portland in the game as Denver’s aggressive defense on Blazers star Damian Lillard held him to only five first-half points on 2-for-8 shooting.

The Nuggets’ Jamal Murray knew the feeling. Murray, also held to five points at the half, was content with giving the ball to Jokic and letting the big man do his thing.

“I’m never going to force it,” Murray explained after the game. “Joker had it going, so I was cool with the five points, which is weird for me to say. I’m never looking for the stats. I’m always going to hit the open man. I’m not going to force it to get my points up. Just pick my spots, and sometimes I pick them later.”

Murray picked them up in the fourth quarter, piling up 19 of his 24 points on 6-for-10 shooting, including 3-for-4 from three-point range.

“I knew when I took Nikola out to start the fourth, we were going to need Jamal to step up,” head coach Michael Malone said.

The slump-busting, 111-106 win pulled the Nuggets to within one game of the Trail Blazers in the Northwest division, and within one game of the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

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NEXT UP: Nuggets (17-14) vs. Wizards (11-18) | Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7:00 p.m.

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TEAM NOTES

• The Nuggets set a new NBA record on in Tuesday’s win by committing only one turnover in the game. Their meticulous ball-handling made the difference in a tight contest; the Nuggets led the game in points off turnovers, 16-0, and won by a total of five points.

• Denver was the aggressor in the paint on Tuesday, drawing 18 free throw attempts to nearly double the Blazers’ total of 10. They made the best of them too, hitting 17-of-18 (94.4 percent) on the night.

• Thursday’s game against the Wizards will be the Nuggets’ last at home prior to the All-Star break; they’ll finish up the first half of the schedule on a four-game road trip. Away from Denver, the Nuggets are 8-8 on the season.

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PLAYER NOTES

• Jamal Murray celebrated his 24th birthday in style, scoring 24 points — including 19 in the decisive fourth quarter — and handing out eight assists; his second-highest total of the season. Murray’s single turnover was the Nuggets’ only one of the night. When informed of that after the game, Murray’s eyes widened before asking,”I had the turnover? I’m sick. I had the one turnover on the team. That’s crazy.”

• Nikola Jokic’s 41-point outing against the Blazers marked his fourth 40-or-more point performance in his last dozen games. He’s averaging an impressive 29.2 points per game in that span.

• Michael Porter Jr. led the Nuggets in minutes Tuesday with 40, one game after receiving only 19 minutes in the Nuggets’ loss to Atlanta on Sunday. After watching Porter Jr. score 12 points and collect 10 rebounds to lead the team, head coach Michael Malone said, “I like the place he’s in. He said, ‘Coach, I just want to help the team win.'” Porter Jr. has been an obvious fit at the Nuggets’ ‘stretch four’ role; something to monitor when nominal starter Paul Millsap returns from injury.

• Facundo Campazzo didn’t put up big numbers in his 27 minutes (three points, six assists and three rebounds), but his high-energy, pesky defense on Damian Lillard clearly irritated the Trail Blazers superstar for most of the night. Lillard finished with 25 points, but had only five at the half, and shot only 9-for-21 Tuesday.

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THE FINAL WORD:

“It’s a sight to behold. The great thing about Jamal is that if he sees one go in, that’s all he needs.” — Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, on Jamal Murray’s 19-point fourth quarter in Tuesday’s win.

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INJURY WATCH

• Gary Harris (left adductor strain) sat out the Feb. 21 game and is expected to miss more time.

• JaMychal Green (left shoulder sprain/contusion) being injured on Feb. 19. He is considered day-to-day.

• Paul Millsap (left knee sprain) didn’t return after halftime on Feb. 14. He is day-to-day.

• P.J. Dozier (right hamstring strain) has been out since Jan. 26. He is day-to-day.

• Greg Whittington (left knee) underwent arthroscopic surgery on Jan. 19 and was expected to miss four-to-six weeks.

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ROTATION (MINUTES)

Starters:
G Jamal Murray (38)
G Monte Morris (33)
F-G Will Barton (31)
F Michael Porter Jr. (40)
C Nikola Jokic (38)

Bench:
G Facundo Campazzo (27)
F Zeke Nnaji (24)
C-F Isaiah Hartenstein (10)
C-F Bol Bol (DNP-CD)
F Vlatko Cancar (DNP-CD)
G R.J. Hampton (DNP-CD)
G Markus Howard (DNP-CD)

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Murray’s 19-point fourth quarter sends Lillard, Blazers home with loss