Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Nuggets battered the Trail Blazers, taking game one of the miniseries

The Nuggets obliterated the Trail Blazers in the paint with 88 points, recording a new season high. Nikola Jokić had a 40-point masterpiece and didn’t have to play in the fourth quarter. And five of his teammates logged double digits in scoring.

After the game, Jokić said, “Maybe because we are scoring that much and scoring easy, we are playing a little bit better defense.”

The hosts raced off to a 15-point lead after making their first 11 shots. After that, Jokić cut inside for a layup and pivoted through the lane for a high-arching shot over Donovan Clingan. Defensively, they let four Trail Blazers get loose for multiple field goals, but it didn’t hurt them as they were still in control.

Subsequently, the Nuggets only allowed three 3-pointers in 12 attempts by contesting promptly. On top of that, Jokić ran in a fastbreak layup, pivoted by Deni Avdija for a bank shot and scored on two cuts, giving himself 25 points before intermission. 

At halftime, the Nuggets led 70-15. They also held the advantage in three key areas: paint points 44-28, fastbreak points 18-9 and points of turnovers 10-4.

Then the visitors were caught in a 42-point avalanche in the third quarter. Jokić finally cooled off from 3-point range, missing all four attempts, but he added three extra shots in the restricted area and two jumpers from the baseline and just inside the wing. Christian Braun also got his licks in, producing on the break and a cut through the lane in the half-court. And Julian Strawther piled on four shots, too.

Within the first minute of the fourth quarter, Jamal Murray scored through contact on a drive through the lane and had extra words for Toumani Camara. After he took his free throw, he barked at Dalano Banton and got his second technical foul, getting tossed. But he wasn’t missed too much because the Nuggets had a 23-point lead at that moment, and Strawther, Braun, Jalen Pickett and Trey Alexander combined for 12 baskets to close the game.

The defense permitted one shot in nine tries in the paint in the fourth quarter because the team was helping aggressively. Avdija was the only visitor to make multiple field goals in the period.

The Nuggets won 146-117. They outscored the Trail Blazers in paint points 88-46, fastbreak points 29-12, second chance points 16-12 and points of turnovers 28-7.

Takeaways:

• Braun was a two-way force. He tallied 26 points (22 in the paint) on 86% shooting, with six rebounds, two assists, one block and a turnover. After the game, Malone gave him the defensive player of the game chain.

• Jokić had 40 points on 68.2% shooting, with seven rebounds, eight assists, three steals, one block and five turnovers. One of his most memorable moments was fading in the corner with Deandre Ayton all over him, burying a 24-footer. He said, “Like my old friend Mike Miller said, ‘Just shoot it and let it fly. Enjoy the moment.’” He also said he doesn’t practice shots like that.

• The team’s 146 points is the third-highest output by any this season. They only made eight treys in 32 attempts. 

• Strawther got to start for Michael Porter Jr. again. He had a big third quarter, helping the team put their foot on the Trail Blazers’ throats to take a 20-point lead heading into the final period.

• Jokić was frustrated with the lack of calls going his way in the first half. At one point, Ayton’s offhand, hit his shoulder on an attempt, and it was missed by the refs. Coach Michael Malone followed an official chastising him and got a technical foul. Murray also got his first T here as well. 

• Pickett played well in his 29 minutes as a connector and added some relief baskets. He had a season-high of 14 points on 60% shooting.

• The team shot 79% on two-pointers.