In what looked to at first be an unforgettable duel between two of the NBA’s brightest superstars, the Denver Nuggets’ aggressiveness and urgency proved to be a test too tall for the Portland Trail Blazers. Anchored by a 38-point, 8-rebound masterpiece from Nikola Jokic, Denver was able to tie the series up at one game apiece with a chippy, physical 128-109 victory.
For one half, Jokic — despite nearly being on pace for a 50-point triple-double — served as merely a supporting character in the world of Damian Lillard. The Blazers star was brilliant in his own right, with 42 points and 10 assists, the bulk of it coming in the first half, before the Nuggets’ adjustments.