The Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets played a spirited Game 1 of their 2021 NBA Playoffs series. Despite Portland’s best defensive efforts, Denver’s MVP candidate, Nikola Jokic, scored 34 points in 36 minutes, enshrining himself as the finest center of this generation. But Jokic had an uncharacteristically-low one assist, part of Portland’s game plan to make him work hard and alone for his contributions. The Blazers, meanwhile, had no such trouble. Damian Lillard, Portland’s own superstar, drove and hit threes with abandon, forcing Denver to key on him. As soon as they did, he would whip the ball to open shooters, most of whom responded with threes.
Lillard, Blazers Pound Nuggets in Game 1
