Nikola Jokic Leads Nuggets to Game 1 Win vs. Blazers Despite Damian Lillard’s 39

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The Denver Nuggets won a second-round game for the first time since 2009 on Monday.

Denver now leads its series with the Portland Trail Blazers 1-0 following a 121-113 victory in Game 1 at the Pepsi Center. Portland may have been the more rested team after the Nuggets needed seven games to dispatch of the San Antonio Spurs, but that didn’t stop the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed from holding serve at home.

Nikola Jokic was dominant and stuffed the stat sheet with 37 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks, while Paul Millsap (19 points and six boards) and Jamal Murray (23 points, eight assists and two steals) provided support.

Damian Lillard fought through consistent double-teams and led the way for the Trail Blazers with 39 points and six assists, but his team failed to come through on the defensive end with the game hanging in the balance.

Nuggets Frontcourt Advantage Is Big Enough to Win Series

On the surface, Enes Kanter had an impressive game.

He finished with 26 points and seven rebounds, providing much of the secondary offense for the Trail Blazers when Lillard was double-teamed. However, the defensive issues that have haunted him for much of his career reared their ugly head in Monday’s contest and proved costly for the visitors.

Opponents shot 3.9 percent better than their normal averages when he defended them during the regular season, per NBA.com, and he was unable to contain Jokic anywhere on the floor.

Jokic is a matchup problem for almost every big in the league, but the advantage is canyon-sized against Portland with Jusuf Nurkic sidelined with an injury and Kanter as a defensive liability who is fighting through a shoulder injury.

What’s more, Zach Collins and Meyers Leonard are not talented enough to consistently contain the All-Star even though they are capable backups for stretches.

It was one thing for the shorthanded Trail Blazers frontcourt to deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round, as their offense typically runs through Russell Westbrook or Paul George. Steven Adams is a formidable matchup, but it is easier to defend a big waiting for a dump pass in the post from a ball-dominant guard than someone like Jokic who can act like a center or point guard and generate offense in different ways.

Jokic posted up, worked in pick-and-pops, threaded passes from the high elbow and top of the key and even found Gary Harris with a bounce pass for the game’s best highlight:

It wasn’t just Jokic, though, who exploited Portland’s frontcourt. Mason Plumlee was an X-factor and did many of the little things to create separation throughout the game with six rebounds, five steals and a block. He battled Kanter on the glass and created havoc with his steals whenever Portland would come at him in the paint.

Millsap also demonstrated veteran guile by seeking out his shot when Jokic drew additional attention and going after matchups with Al-Farouq Aminu and Maurice Harkless on the blocks when opportunities presented themselves.

Much like Kanter cannot stop Jokic, those stretch forwards can’t handle Millsap in one-on-one situations.

Portland didn’t miss Nurkic much in the first round against the Thunder, but it surely will in this matchup.

What’s Next?

Denver will host Game 2 on Wednesday.

This article will be updated to provide more information soon.

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