![]() the Thunder, the Blazers assisted on a mere 43.7% of their baskets. Denver (they were held to 90 or fewer points in two losses), it was often due to an over-reliance on isolation plays. In the instances when San Antonio’s offense stalled out vs. One question is whether Portland can survive without more ball movement. The point is they’ve achieved very high volume on the shots most prized in today’s NBA – 3-pointers and shots at the rim. They haven’t been very efficient in the restricted area, with their 51.5% shooting lower than any team beyond Detroit, but that’s forgivable. Partly due to the gravitational pull of their perimeter shooting, they’ve been able to attack the rim with abandon – they attempted 33.8 shots in the restricted area per game in the first round, easily more than any other team (Denver has averaged 22.6). This is where Portland’s postseason offense gets very interesting. McCollum was 26.3% from deep and the star’s struggles are a big reason Portland lost the season series 3-1. In their four regular-season matchups, Lillard struggled with 37.1% shooting including 28.6% from deep. Denver’s opponents shot 1.5% worse than their typical average from deep, which was the best defensive mark in the entire league. The Thunder were middle-of-the-pack this season in perimeter defense, allowing opponents to shoot 35.5%, whereas the Nuggets were second-stingiest with just 34.0% allowed. Those 3-pointers may not come as easy in this series. Al-Farouq Aminu hit 1.8 per game, Seth Curry added 1.2, and guys like Moe Harkless and Rodney Hood also chipped in from deep. McCollum averaged 3.4 triples on 44.7% shooting. Lillard made a ridiculous 5.2 triples on 48.1% shooting from deep, while C.J. They lead all playoff teams in 3-point accuracy (40.5%), and they’re tied for second in makes per game (12.8) with only the perimeter-obsessed Rockets ahead of them. Lillard’s dramatic shot gets the spotlight, for obvious reasons, but that was only one of voluminous makes from downtown for Portland in their first-round series. They’ll get one day to celebrate before hosting the well-rested Blazers during Game 1 on Monday. A once-comfortable lead was whittled down to just a few points late in Game 7 on Saturday, but the Nuggets held on for the 90-86 victory. They went 5-5 in their final 10 regular season games and avoided a first-round upset by the thinnest of margins. 2 seed as the regular season concluded, a deep playoff run for Denver hasn’t felt like an inevitability. Denver.įor the Nuggets, of course, it came down to a Game 7 on their home court vs. Time will tell if he’ll sustain his unreal production during this second-round matchup vs. His elite shot-making and unflappable confidence were on equal display as he waved goodbye to the Thunder and hello to endless highlight reels. For Portland, it was a career-highlight Game 5 performance from Damian Lillard, who scored 50 points and clinched the series with a 37-foot dagger. Should you require other means, Game 5 can also be watched via the NBA streams subreddit community.The Blazers and Nuggets both advanced to the second round in dramatic fashion. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show NBA fans! NBA Playoffs: How to watch Denver Nuggets vs. ![]() On the flip side, Lillard and company will be guns blazin’ in the hopes of taking a series lead back to Rip City. When one guy isn’t knocking down his shots for either of these two offensive juggernauts, another steps up.ĭenver didn’t have as much in the tank in Game 4 but should be fired up to return home on Tuesday. Portland’s Damian Lillard struggled even more, hitting just one of his 10 shots but chipping in 10 assists as Norman “Playoff” Powell stole the show on Carmelo Anthony’s birthday.Īll told, the Nuggets and Trail Blazers have not scored less than 220 points combined through their first four games of the NBA Playoffs. Presumptive NBA MVP Nikola Jokic had a rare off night in Game 4, registering just 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting, well below his season averages for Denver. Both sides have managed a win each on the road thus far. The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers head back to Colorado with an even first-round series. The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers are locked at two games apiece as the series heads to Game 5. ![]()
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