The Portland Trail Blazers kept the surprise start rolling Monday night, knocking off the Denver Nuggets 118-110 at Ball Arena to move to 5-1 on the season and 2-0 on their four-game trip.
This one had a little more bite than the rest of Portland’s early-season wins. The Blazers came back from a 14-point hole in a place where they usually don’t get much traction, then closed the game with the kind of defensive edge that can flip a night fast. After a messy first three quarters, Portland took over the fourth and outscored Denver 33-23.
Deni Avdija led the way despite an uneven shooting night, finishing with 28 points, five assists and three rebounds while going 9 for 21 from the field. Donovan Clingan was a force inside, posting his first double-double of the season with 17 points and 18 rebounds. Damian Lillard added 20 points, six assists and six rebounds, and Jrue Holiday chipped in 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds off the bench.
The biggest swing came late, when Portland’s defense locked in and made Denver uncomfortable. The Nuggets shot 38% in the fourth quarter and turned it over three times, and the Blazers used that stretch to turn a deficit into a statement win.
One of the more unexpected pieces of the night was Chris Youngblood. The Blazers’ two-way player got his chance when backup wing Vit Krejci picked up three fouls, and he played well enough to stay in the mix after that.
He wasn’t trying to steal the spotlight. He just defended, chased loose balls and made timely plays.
That included a key sequence in the fourth quarter, when Youngblood grabbed an offensive rebound after a missed Donovan Clingan layup and finished the play to put Portland ahead 91-89 with 9:29 left. He ended with seven points, two rebounds and one assist in 15 minutes, making 2 of 6 shots. For a player who had logged just seven minutes all season, it was a useful and unexpected lift.
Monday also carried a personal layer for Micah Nori, who spent three seasons as an assistant with Denver from 2015-18. Before the game, Nuggets general manager Jon Wallace found him for a courtside conversation, and Nori also spent time talking with Nikola Jokic in the hallway at Ball Arena.
Nori said the return brought back good memories. “It’s such a grind through the course of 82 (games) … but it’s always good to come back and see people here.”
There was another emotional thread in the building, too. This was the first meeting between Portland and Denver this season, which meant it was also the first time Nuggets coach David Adelman saw his father’s name on the Blazers’ uniforms. Portland is honoring Rick Adelman all season with a band on the left shoulder of its jerseys.
Rick Adelman died in June at age 79. He played on the original Blazers team and later coached the franchise to two NBA Finals appearances.
David Adelman called the moment “Tough,” and added, “It’s important to him. I think people forget that he didn’t just coach there, he played there.
He was a captain there. I think he’s really proud of being an assistant coach there under (Jack) Ramsay and (Mike) Schuler.
So there’s a lot to it. I don’t want to go too deep into it right now.
It’s heavy. But it’s really cool.”
In Other News...
Blazers Keep Getting Better News From The Damian Lillard Trade
The Damian Lillard trade keeps looking better for Portland, not just because of what the Blazers received in the deal, but because of how the rest of the transaction has played out since. Milwaukee has been trying to navigate an early-season slump after parting with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the ripple effects of the Lillard move have only added to the sense that Portland came out ahead in a major way.
For the Blazers, the return was always about more than one player, and the draft capital attached to the deal has given the franchise more flexibility as it tries to build forward. Milwaukees decision to waive Lillard to create cap room also underscored how much long-term financial maneuvering came with the trade, leaving Portland with a package that keeps gaining value as the Bucks continue to sort through the fallout. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Fans May Not Like How Close This Suns Rematch Looks
The Trail Blazers are heading into their rematch with the Suns in a familiar spot for an early-season contender: dealing with injury absences while still trying to keep the momentum rolling. Portland is expected to be without key players Ja Morant and Shaedon Sharpe, which makes the matchup a little trickier on paper, even as the Blazers have opened the season strong and remain the models pick to win.
For fans, the interesting part is how tight this one looks against the betting market. The simulation projections point toward Portland, but they also suggest a game that could stay close enough to test whether the Blazers can keep turning solid starts into actual results. With the Suns back on the schedule, the margin for error feels slim, and the numbers are leaving just enough room for a tense finish. [Read more 🡒]
Sidy Cissoko Is Quietly Solving A Blazers Problem Joe Cronin Bet On
Joe Cronins decision to stand pat on the wing after the offseason has looked a little less risky with each passing game. The Trail Blazers did not go out and chase a replacement for the players they lost, trusting the roster already in place, and Sidy Cissoko has started to look like the kind of internal answer that can make that bet work. The 22-year-old has carved out a real role off the bench, bringing a steadier offensive touch and the kind of defensive versatility Portland can use in a rotation that still has some sorting out to do.
Through the first six games, Cissoko has given the Blazers something beyond a temporary hot stretch. His shooting has improved, his activity on the other end has fit what the team needs, and the minutes he is getting do not feel accidental. Portland is intentionally making room for him, which says plenty about how the staff views his place in the rotation and how much confidence there is that this two-way impact can hold up. [Read more 🡒]