Nikola Jokic, Nuggets show Blazers they can win playing any style
DENVER — Slugfest. Track meet.
It doesn’t matter to the Denver Nuggets.
Fresh off a grind-it-out Game 7 win over the San Antonio Spurs that saw the Nuggets win while scoring just 90 points, Denver switched into high gear on Monday for a 121-113 victory in Game 1 of the West semis against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Once again, Denver’s do-it-all big man, Nikola Jokic, led the way, outdueling his All-Star counterpart Damian Lillard with 37 points, nine rebounds and six assists. He also hit three of his five 3-point attempts.
Lillard finished with 39 points and six assists while hitting 4-of-12 3-point attempts, but didn’t have enough to rally Portland down the stretch.
Up-and-down from the start
Both teams started out of the gates on fire, with the Nuggets and Trail Blazers each shooting better than 60 percent from the field in a first quarter that ended tied at 32.
But as the game wore on, a Denver team two days removed from finishing a 7-game series separated itself from a Portland team that hadn’t played since Tuesday.
Denver opened a 3-point halftime lead and opened up the game in the third quarter to take a 93-84 lead into the game’s final stanza.
The Blazers made a run early in the fourth, cutting a 12-point deficit to 101-96 with 8:02 remaining and forcing a Denver timeout.
But the Nuggets responded with a 8-0 run catalyzed by a flagrant foul by C.J. McCollum, who swiped a driving Jokic across the face as the Denver center went in for a layup.
From that point, Denver maintained control of the game to make a statement against a Trail Blazers team many picked to win this series after Lillard’s star turn in its first-round win over the Thunder.
Substance over style
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said he doesn’t care how the team wins as long as it does, but was concerned about the Nuggets’ defensive effort against a Blazers team capable of lighting up the scoreboard.
“Wins,” Malone said of what style he prefers to play. “If we win 90-88 or 121-113, obviously, winning is the most important analytical stat out there.
“I did not like our defense tonight, especially in that first quarter. ... We got the win. When you get a win and you know you didn’t play your best basketball, that’s a good feeling. But I think everyone knows in the locker room we have to be a lot more locked in on that end of the floor to get a second win.”
Strength on strength
The Nuggets take pride in their evolution as a defensive unit. A team that finished last in the NBA in defending the 3-point line last season (37.8 percent allowed) was the best in the league this season (33.9 percent allowed).
It’s a skill the Nuggets will need to lean on against Lillard and McCollum if they plan to win three more games this series.
Both teams found success Monday as Portland hit 11-of-29 3-point attempts (37.9 percent) while Denver hit 12-of-29 (41.4 percent).
As good as Denver is from behind the arc, outgunning the Trail Blazers from distance is not a long-term strategy for success. Portland was the best 3-point shooting team in the league this season and will win that battle if Denver isn’t able to counter with its elite perimeter defense.
Denver will lean on stopper Torrey Craig, who played his way into the starting lineup during the Spurs series thanks to his defensive prowess. But slowing Lillard will be a team effort. A player who can pull up from just about anywhere over half-court presents a unique challenge, even for an elite perimeter defense.
“It’s very tough because you have to pick him up at half-court instead of a regular guy where you get him at the 3-point line,” Nuggets guard Malik Beasley said. “It makes it difficult. You have to give more extra effort, but it is a challenge and we’re going to accept that.”
Kanter thrives through pain
The bright side for the Trail Blazers is that Enes Kanter not only played, but played well after an injury threatened to sideline him for Game 1.
Kanter suffered a separated left shoulder in Portland’s first-round victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving him struggling to sleep and change clothes, much less play basketball.
The pain didn’t show in the box score as Kanter opened the game on fire, hitting 5-of-6 from the floor for 10 points in the first quarter.
It did show on the court, however. Kanter threw down an alley-oop from Damian Lillard midway through the first quarter. When he landed, he winced, grabbed his injured shoulder and pointed to his shaking head as if to scold himself for not taking it easier on the dunk.
But he returned to the court after the next stoppage in play and finished with 26 points and seven rebounds on 11-of-14 shooting from the floor.
“Just keep playing through it,” Kanter said after the game. “With the painkillers, injections, anything I can do to just help my teammates. It doesn’t matter — one arm, two arms — I’m going to go out there and play hard and play smart.”
After the Blazers lost Jusuf Nurkic to a devastating knee injury in late March, many wrote off their chances of playoff success. But Kanter, who signed in February after being released by the New York Knicks, has proven to be a more-than-capable fill-in in the post.
His ability to play successfully through the pain on Monday is a good sign for the Blazers as they look to rebound from a Game 1 loss.
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