Nuggets Vs Trail Blazers: Denver sets records, torches Portland after All-Star break
In their return from the All-Star break, the nuggets vs trail blazers matchup ended in a lopsided 157-103 win for Denver, a game that produced multiple franchise and league scoring marks and mattered because it came on the second night of a back-to-back. Denver (36-21) poured in 82 first-half points and finished with 157 — the most the team has scored on the road and the most by any NBA team this season — while Portland fell to 27-30 in what the acting head coach called one of the club’s worst games of the year.
Nuggets Vs Trail Blazers scoring records
Denver’s offensive eruption included 13 made three-pointers on 22 attempts (59%) in the first half and an 82-point opening 24 minutes, the second-most points in a half in franchise history. The 157-point total set a Nuggets record for points in a road game and stood as the highest single-game total by any NBA team this season. The figure also represented the most Denver had scored in regulation in franchise history; the only higher team total for the club came in a four-overtime game in 1983.
Jokic and Murray lead the onslaught
Nikola Jokic produced 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists while Jamal Murray added 25 points, six rebounds and six assists. Jokic's early burst included 19 points in the first quarter, and Murray turned the second quarter into his own stretch, hitting three straight threes and totaling 15 points in that period to push Denver to an 82-53 halftime lead. Both stars exited at the end of the third quarter with the Nuggets ahead by 40.
Deni Avdija supplied a double-double with 15 points and 13 assists, plus eight rebounds. For Portland, Jrue Holiday led the scoring with 19 points. Early in the game Donovan Clingan and Scoot Henderson provided sparks for the Blazers, but Portland’s offense steadily faded as Denver continued to attack from long range and the free-throw line.
Portland’s posture and what comes next
Portland was short-handed: Shaedon Sharpe and three-point champion Damian Lillard were not available for the matchup. Acting head coach Tiago Splitter described the performance as “one of our worst games of the season, ” and stressed that Denver came in with a sense of urgency after a loss the night before. Rookie center Yang Hansen received extended minutes in the fourth quarter against Jonas Valanciunas; Hansen had met Jokic pregame and joked about it during All-Star weekend build-up.
Portland heads to Phoenix next, with tipoff scheduled for 8 p. m. ET on Sunday. Splitter emphasized the need for a quick recovery and for the team to tighten effort, defense and communication on the road. For Denver, the game underscored how quickly a hot shooting night from the starters can translate into historic scoring results — and left clear benchmarks for opponents to consider as the teams move deeper into the season.
