The Nuggets held on in the most important game of their season to secure a pivotal 82-88 win against the Trail Blazers late Monday night. With their victory, Denver ensured its playoff hopes remain alive for at least one more game.
The Nuggets beat the Trail Blazers and kept the West playoff race super complicated
The Nuggets and Timberwolves must play a sudden death game on Wednesday. The winner goes to the playoffs.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Nuggets jumped out to an early first-quarter lead but the Trail Blazers took control heading into halftime. Portland its lead into double digits midway through the third, and then Denver started to chip away.
It was apparent the Trail Blazers were gassed in the second half, and the Denver altitude probably had something to do with that. Portland shot just 33 percent from the field all game, with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum combining for just 13-of-40 shooting. The Trail Blazers shot just 26 percent from the field in the third quarter, and only 29.4 percent in the fourth.
Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic ran up a triple-double with 15 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists. He may have only shot 35 percent from the field, but the Nuggets needed every bit of his presence on the floor. They outscored the Blazers by 18 with The Joker in the game.
Now what?
The Western Conference playoff picture has been a wild race since the All-Star break, and every game mattered on Monday night. Denver isn’t clear for postseason takeoff just yet. Here’s how Monday night panned out:
- The Thunder clinched their playoff spot with a late rally in their 22-point win against the Heat.
- The Spurs didn’t look too hot early, but they turned it on late to post a 98-85 win over the Kings, securing their 21st straight playoff appearance
- The Timberwolves trailed the lowly Grizzlies by double digits in the first half, only to pull away with a 19-point victory. Minnesota has fallen to No. 8
- The Nuggets stayed alive by staving off the Trail Blazers
- And the Pelicans clinched their first playoff spot since 2015 with a win against the Clippers.
Uhhhh... so now what?!
WE GET A PLAY-IN GAME BETWEEN DENVER AND MINNESOTA FOR A PLAYOFF SPOT!
Yes, you read that correctly. On Wednesday at 8 p.m., the Nuggets and Timberwolves play their final regular season games against one another. The winner of that game goes to the playoffs. The loser will sob in agony on the team plane or bus ride home.
The Nuggets beat the Timberwolves by four on April 5, but that was before Jimmy Butler returned from a torn meniscus. Denver is 2-1 against Minnesota this season. Butler scored 25 and 39 points against the Nuggets this season and is 1-1 in those games.
You can’t draw it up any better than that. But it all starts with a Pelicans win.
If New Orleans blows its 10-point lead against the Clippers — unlikely, but possible — then lose their final game against the Spurs — unlikely, but a little more possible — Denver and Minnesota could both make the playoffs with the Pelicans on the outside looking in.
It’s a wild ride like I said earlier, but guess what? We wouldn’t have it any other way.
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