The Portland Trail Blazers returned from the NBA All Star break on Friday only to be greeted with a game against the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets. Budding superstar point guard Jamal Murray sat this game out, but former two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic was ready to go. And go he did, leading the Nuggets to a 127-112 victory over the injury-plagued Blazers. Jokic ended up one assist shy of finishing with back to back 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists games.
The Blazers stayed within striking distance all game long. Led in scoring by Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Deandre Ayton, Portland had answers for the Nuggets, but ultimately Jokic’s production and 34 points from Michael Porter Jr.