NBA playoffs 2019: 3 takeaways from Trail Blazers’ Game 2 win over Nuggets

E.Jay Zarett

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NBA playoffs 2019: 3 takeaways from Trail Blazers’ Game 2 win over Nuggets image

The Trail Blazers bounced back in Game 2

Portland took control early, entered halftime with a 15-point lead and held off a Denver run in the fourth quarter en route to a 97-90 win.

The series will shift back to Portland, with Game 3 set for Friday. Denver won the opener, 121-113.

Here are three takeaways from the Trail Blazers’ Game 2 victory.

Portland’s role players step up

Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, Portland’s stars, failed to find their rhythms offensively throughout the game.

The two combined for 34 points but were inefficient from the field as they knocked down just 13 of their 37 total shots.

The Trail Blazers’ role players, on the other hand, had a big night, which helped them secure the win. Enes Kanter recorded 15 points and nine rebounds while Al-Farouq Aminu chipped in 11 points, along with 10 boards for Portland, as well.

Rodney Hood came off the bench and knocked down one of the biggest shots of the game. Denver had closed the gap to seven with a little more than two minutes to play, but Hood connected on a corner 3-pointer to extend his team’s lead back to double digits.

The forward later hit a pair of clutch free throws to seal the victory. He finished with 15 points in 27 minutes.

Nuggets’ shooting was off the mark

The Nuggets were terrible from behind the arc in Game 2.

The Trail Blazers completely took the 3-pointer away from the Nuggets, as they finished 6 of 29 from distance Wednesday. Denver guard Jamal Murray was 2 of 8 from 3-point range while Gary Harris missed all five of his attempts.

The Nuggets — who shot 41.4 percent from 3-point range in Game 1 — eventually began pounding the ball inside in the second half because they were so ineffective from deep. They’ll need to improve their shooting in Portland. Otherwise, they definitely are at risk of falling behind in the series.

Denver needs Nikola Jokic to score

Nikola Jokic impacted the game in multiple ways.

The Denver star dictated his team’s offense from the post, as he typically does. He received multiple paint touches and either kicked the ball out to open teammates or cutters in the lane. The 7-0 center was also a factor on the glass.

Yet, Jokic didn’t look for his shot much until his team was trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter. In total, he finished with 16 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.

Jokic is a great passer and is clearly the focal point of the Nuggets’ offense. The team will need him to be more aggressive moving forward if they want to advance to the Western Conference finals.

 

E.Jay Zarett