It’s now a race to the finish for the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers, with both teams vying for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Entering Denver’s road test against the Indiana Pacers, the Nuggets held a slim, one-game margin on their Northwest Division foes. Nikola Jokic again had a big night and the Nuggets kept one step ahead of Portland, defeating Indiana 125-117.
Jokic scored 30 points and controlled the boards with 17 rebounds, both game highs. It was Jokic’s 33rd double-double on the season; he had 21 and 12 in the first half alone. Danilo Gallinari scored 21 points in 35 minutes. It was Gallinari’s first game action since March 13; he had missed Denver’s previous four contests with a lingering knee issue. Wilson Chandler, making his second consecutive start since returning from a groin injury, had 24 points including two off a beautiful no-look pass from Jokic.
Paul George and Myles Turner helped spur a minor Pacers comeback in the fourth quarter. Indiana outscored Denver 41 to 32 in the final frame, but Jokic hit a clutch 3-pointer late to extend Denver’s lead and lock down their second consecutive win over a playoff-bound Eastern Conference opponent (the Nuggets defeated Cleveland in Denver on Wednesday night). Combined, the two wins helped keep the Nuggets 1.5 games ahead of Portland in the race for No. 8 in the west.
Portland can earn a half-game back on Saturday night when they host the Timberwolves. The Nuggets have 10 games remaining on the schedule, only three at home including Sunday’s matchup with New Orleans. Denver and Portland go head to head on Tuesday at Moda Center in what will be a critical showdown to determine the final playoff spot in the west.
