The Denver Nuggets roared back from a 17-point deficit to take a late lead in the fourth quarter over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Then, they gave it back to Anfernee Simons in an easy game-winning layup at the buzzer.
The Nuggets lost 126-124 tonight in a clutch time game where they held all of the momentum by the end. Denver had a chance to take a lead on their second to last possession, but a Jamal Murray miss, followed by an Aaron Gordon miss, followed by a Nikola Jokic foul, sent Shaedon Sharpe to the free throw line. Denver trailed by two points, tied it up on a Jokic isolation bucket in the middle of the floor, but there was too much time left on the clock for Simons to hit a shot at the horn.
ANFERNEE SIMONS WINS IT OFF GLASS 🔥#TissotBuzzerBeater #YourTimeDefinesYourGreatness https://t.co/TBdkqp6UuI pic.twitter.com/N3nDtOBAwJ
— NBA (@NBA) December 20, 2024
A lot of those categories focus in on Nikola Jokic, whose effort defensively was less than stellar tonight. He wasn’t the only one, but he’s the leader of the team, and the Nuggets needed more than six rebounds from him in 37 minutes. He did have 34 points and eight assists on efficient scoring, and that’s an important factor. Still, between Simons and Ayton, Jokic’s defensive film tonight won’t be doing him any favors. Simons finished with 28 points and 10 assists, while Ayton had 15 points early, though Jokic did better on him later in the game.
Jamal Murray had a solid night overall with 24 points, 10 assists, and three steals in 38 minutes. He appeared to be struggling again at various points, but an important three-pointer, a dunk in traffic, and some setups to Jokic in clutch time really stood out positively. He struggled getting around screens to cover Shaedon Sharpe late though, another breakdown for the Nuggets defensively.
Michael Porter Jr., amidst trade rumors swirling about, had an okay game. He began the night with 10 points in the first quarter but finished with just 16, struggling to stay involved late. In addition, he was one of the primary culprits for Denver’s rebounding issues. he had six boards of his own, but at one point knocked the ball out of Murray’s hands and having it bounce to the Blazers for extra points. There are just a number of those plays that stand out consistently with him.
Christian Braun returned to the starting lineup today and played 25 minutes, with the Nuggets choosing to close with Russell Westbrook. Braun wasn’t fully getting the job done defensively, and the Nuggets needed a bit of energy. Still, Braun scored 13 points, 11 in the first quarter, and looked really good initially. Unfortunately, he struggled finishing around the rim after the first quarter and didn’t impact the game beyond that.
Denver wouldn’t have been in this game without the efforts of Westbrook, logging 19 points and seven assists while hustling all over the floor. He shot really well tonight, going 8-of-12 from the field and 2-of-4 from three. The last play will stand out on highlights, but the Nuggets don’t get back into this game without Westbrook.
The dangers of Procrastination
Th Nuggets are really good at coming back from double-digit deficits.
Down 17 points to begin the fourth, the Nuggets are never fully out of a game, especially against a sub .500 team like Portland. Denver’s championship DNA, experience in tough moments, and clutch gene have helped them overcome insurmountable odds before. A 17-point deficit is nothing in the modern NBA.
Unfortunately, losses like this happen when you procrastinate. Denver did everything correctly to stage the fourth quarter comeback. The defense locked in, the offense hit some haymakers. The bench closed the lead to single digits within two minutes. Jokic looked unstoppable upon his return.
Everything was going well, then the Blazers hit some shots, got some fouls, and hit the game winner and walked away with the win. They only scored 22 points in the fourth. Denver scored 37.
It didn’t matter though. Denver didn’t get their work done in the first three quarters. The rebounding and rotation defense were poor for much of the game, and the team got outscored 38-21 in the third quarter. That’s a difficult hole for any team to climb out of, and the Nuggets dug it themselves.
It’s hard to stay focused and locked in for an entire season. It’s hard to lock in and be great for an entire road trip. Great teams find a way to do it anyway though, and the Nuggets simply didn’t have that gear tonight until they absolutely had to have it. Then, the win slipped through their fingers.
Rather than blame anybody individually, it’s time to look at the culture. Are the Nuggets a champion? Do they want to play together? A three-game winning streak quelled some of those initial fears, but the Nuggets lose a lot of that credibility with efforts like this one.
After another two days off, Denver goes to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. We will see if they bring a bit more energy and attention to detail to a city where they’ve already lost to the 5-23 Pelicans.
Yeesh.
Final Rotations
