Denver Nuggets: 3 takeaways from Game 2 loss vs. Blazers

The Denver Nuggets lost a close Game 2 to the Portland Trail Blazers. They can change their fortunes, but they have to pay attention to what went wrong.

The Denver Nuggets came up short against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals after starting off the series with a win.

Nikola Jokic was quiet after a dominant Game 1 with just 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting. He added 14 rebounds and seven assists, but like the rest of the team, he just wasn’t getting shots to fall. Jamal Murray was ice-cold from the field with a 6-of-18 mark, including a 2-of-8 line from 3-point range. Denver shot just 34.7 percent from the field, and that simply wasn’t enough.

The Blazers weren’t lighting it up from the floor either, but they were hot enough. Enes Kanter was 5-of-10 with 15 points, and Rodney Hood gave Portland some great minutes off the bench. He finished 5-of-11 for 15 points, and he had three blocks that were great momentum-builders for Rip City. Damian Lillard had his worst game of the playoffs, as he shot just 5-of-17 from the floor. However, with his supporting cast helping him out, he didn’t have to go nuclear.

Game 3 could be the game that decides this whole series. Portland has back-to-back games at home that could give them the edge to take a  3-1 series lead. On the flip side, Denver had plenty of opportunities to take control of Game 2, but they just didn’t hit the shots. If they’re able to capture Game 3, this could be their series for the taking.