Trail Blazers Fall At Denver Nuggets 146-117, Injuries To Ayton, Scoot

750 The Game Staff
The Trail Blazers stingy defense that propelled them to eleven wins in twelve games was punctured by the Denver Nuggets on Monday night to the tune of a final score of 146-117. It is Portland’s second loss in a row after losing to an Anthony Edwards-less Minnesota Timberwolves team on Saturday. The Blazers stay in Denver and face the Nuggets again on Wednesday night, the final game before the All-Star break.
Nikola Jokic had a game-high 40 points on 15-22 shooting and 8-8 from the line. He also had eight assists, seven rebounds, three steals and a block.
Donovan Clingan had a career-high 21 points on a perfect 8-8 shooting from the floor. He also had 7 rebounds.
Deandre Ayton exited in the third quarter with an apparent calf strain and did not return. Scoot Henderson left in the fourth quarter with an apparent ankle injury.
The Blazers are 23-31 overall, 13th in the West, 4-1/2 games back of the final spots in the play-in tournament.