Blazers Fight Valiantly, Can’t Overcome Jokic, Rivers The Blazers were always one big spurt away from control in Game 3, but ultimately ran out of time.<doc-sep>The Denver Nuggets, as they’ve done all season, proved a tough out on their home floor on Monday night. The Nuggets, owners of the best home record in the NBA during the regular season, rode a big game from their big Serbian in Game 1 as Nikola Jokic (37 points, nine rebounds, six assists) outshined Damian Lillard (39 points, six assists, six turnovers) to give Denver a 1-0 series lead on Portland in the Western Conference semifinals. Here’s a look at the reaction locally and nationally to the Nuggets’ 121-113 win in Game 1: • Our own Joe Freeman on the dominance of Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic on Monday night: “The game was really sloppy, not much defense,” Jokic said. “Lot of turnovers.” “Decent,” Paul Millsap added, referring to the Nuggets’ play. “We can do better on a lot of things.” If Jokic is much better than he was Sunday, Portland could be in for a long series. The All-Star center tormented the Blazers with a barrage of drives, jumpers and pretty passes, finishing with 37 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks in 41 minutes. The doughy behemoth might look like a guy playing pick-up hoops at your neighborhood 24-hour Fitness and he rumbles around the court with the grace of a rhinoceros. But his versatility, court vision and scoring ability are as elegant and hard-to-contain as a tiger. • Columnist John Canzano writes that now it’s up to the Blazers to make the necessary adjustments in Game 2: The first adjustment of the series belongs to Stotts, doesn’t it? So let’s see what Portland’s coach does with it. Denver was the better team on Monday, even playing on short rest. The Nuggets had a 12-1 record on the second game of a back-to-back this season. Maybe living in an altitude chamber known as the Denver metropolitan area helps. But their legs looked fine in Game 1. • Not a lot worked for the Blazers defensively in Game 1, except one look that we may see more of going forward, writes Jason Quick of The Athletic: See, midway through the fourth quarter, the Blazers unveiled a defensive look that left some of the players encouraged after the loss. The tactic involved moving Harkless onto Jamal Murray, the Nuggets’ burgeoning star guard, and having Al-Farouq Aminu guard Denver’s do-it-all center, Nikola Jokic. When the Nuggets went to run their go-to play — a pick-and-roll between Murray and Jokic — Harkless and Aminu switched, putting Harkless on Jokic and Aminu on Murray. “I thought that was good for us,” Damian Lillard said. “It was deep, long possessions, where they were up against the shot clock, and they are basically isolating against our two best defenders. We are good with that. I liked it. Those two were switching and disrupting it, and I thought it was pretty good.” • Nick Kosmider of The Athletic on how relaxing has helped Jokic in the postseason: Whatever the reason for the relaxed way, both on and off the court, Jokic has approached his first playoff experience, it has coincided with arguably the best stretch of his four-year career. Paul Millsap, who provided a strong 19-point effort in Game 1, said Jokic has reminded him of Tom Brady (sorry, Broncos fans) with the way he has adjusted to everything defenses have thrown his way. “He’s always going to pick you apart and make the right reads,” Millsap said. “Commend him for doing that at this stage in his career.” In these playoffs, Jokic is averaging 24.9 points on 50.3 percent shooting from the field, 37.1 percent shooting from 3-point range and 90.9 percent from the free-throw line, adding 11.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game in the process. His efficiency rating of 36.5, per NBA data, is the highest of any player in this postseason. • The Blazers stay within striking distance for much of the second half but didn’t have an answer for Jokic, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post: Portland was within five points with just under nine minutes left in the fourth quarter before a flurry of defensive stops and dunks helped stretch the lead. Under a chorus of “M-V-P” chants, Jokic conducted the offense like a point guard and made sure the cushion was safe. He added nine rebounds and six assists to his impressive scoring tally. After one demoralizing fourth-quarter foul, Portland coach Terry Stotts could only throw his hands up in disgust. The Blazers started to become unglued in the third quarter as Jokic worked his magic inside. First he drew back-to-back fouls, his size presenting an incalculable puzzle for Portland, and then he bruised in the paint. Jokic scored 15 points in the third quarter alone, while Murray poured in seven. No basket was prettier, though, than a stunning Harris reverse layup to extend the lead to 89-80. • The Blazers were 7 of 16 from three-point range in the first half but just 4 of 13 in the second half thanks to an increased emphasis on slowing the long ball, writes Sean Keeler of The Denver Post: “Just being physical, letting them feel us,” Harris said of the hosts’ second-half intensity. “Getting into the ball. Our bigs talking out, being able to screen. Just staying locked in, mentally and physically.” Lillard and McCollum, the Blazers’ double barrels from long distance who’d averaged 8.6 3-point makes against the Thunder, combined to finish with only six treys makes on 19 attempts (.316). • Royce Young of ESPN.com on the moment the Nuggets quelled the Blazers’ final run: Lillard led the Blazers with 39 points, and for a minute, it felt like a "Dame Time" moment was on its way. One possession after he hit a straightaway 3 to cut the Nuggets' lead to nine with 2:23 left, Lillard rolled off a high screen some 30 feet from the basket and was clear to launch another. Everyone in the building felt it; it was about to be a two-possession game with two minutes to go, and Lillard was ticking. Instead, Gary Harris stopped the clock, chasing down Lillard's 3 and blocking it from behind. Two more Jokic free throws 20 seconds later, and the Nuggets had Game 1 in hand. • This series is about Lillard and Jokic and the strength of home court, writes Michael Shapiro of Sports Illustrated:<doc-sep>
The Portland Trail Blazers will face the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs tonight. Here are six last-minute thoughts to ponder as you await tip-off. The superstars for each team present inverse threats. The Blazers need Damian Lillard to score no matter what, even if some of the other things fall by the wayside. The Nuggets want all the scoring they can get out of Nikola Jokic , but his passing and rebounding are the scary, back-breaking factors that the Blazers can’t cope with. Portland isn’t guaranteed to win either way (for the millionth time...darn that Jusuf Nurkic injury!) but their best avenue opens if Lillard pours in a ton of points, but Jokic doesn’t do much damage besides scoring. On paper, the injured Blazers don’t have easy answers for Jokic. He’s likely to shine no matter what. As a result, Lillard ’s production takes on added urgency. Damian has to have great enough games to bend Denver’s defense, then his teammates have to take advantage when called upon. A bad game from him will probably result in a loss. A good game could as well, if he’s the only one who came to play, but that good game is the first step. As usual with the Blazers, three-point shooting will be huge in this series. Denver defends the three well. Portland can’t shoot a low percentage from distance, as they’ll not survive an inside scoring battle with the Nuggets for long. Once again, watch the rebounding. These teams are both incredibly good on the glass. Any team that wrests control of the boards—particularly offensive rebounds—will have an instant advantage. Portland’s power forwards and small forwards need to be ready to rebound. One sneaky tactic for the Blazers might be to drive guards down the heart of the Denver defense. The Nuggets aren’t good shot-blockers. If Jokic gets in early foul trouble, all of a sudden the Blazers options—Kanter in the lane or going small-ball—look stronger. Do not dismiss the potential importance of Seth Curry. The Blazers need extra points and Denver’s bench gets shaky defensively. Curry could also play in a three-guard lineup. It’d be nice to see Evan Turner run the offense successfully from inside with the second unit, but that’s probably place-keeping. Curry has the potential to turn a game. If you see Will Barton , score on Will Barton. The Blazers and Nuggets tip at 7:30 PM on TNT tonight.