After a relatively calm Game 1 between the Trail Blazers and Nuggets at Ball Arena -- a game the Trail Blazers would win 123-109 to steal home-court advantage -- the niceties were dispensed of early on in Game 2 -- which the Nuggets won 128-109. While it’s not uncommon for playoff games to increase in intensity as the series progresses -- as the saying goes, familiarity breeds contempt -- the Trail Blazers and Nuggets seemed to go from at least begrudging respect in Game 1 to outright distain in Game 2.
“We saw what they were saying about the physicality and bringing the playoff mentality to us because they didn't have that in Game 1,” said Trail Blazers guard Norman Powell after Game 2.