The Denver Nuggets fell to the Portland Trail Blazers in an ugly 99-82 defeat on Monday. It was the second time the teams have faced each other since Denver sent Jusuf Nurkic and a first-round pick to Portland in exchange for Mason Plumlee. Portland has won both contests. Here are five observations from the game.
1. The Nuggets’ half-court offense looked awful
Last year, the Nuggets ranked among the NBA’s most efficient offenses in the half court. They finished the season sixth in points per 100 half-court possessions. This year … has been a different story.