Denver Nuggets: Top 10 moments of the 2018-19 NBA season
By Jared Hayden
5. Jokic lights up Blazers in Game 1
After a long first round series against the San Antonio Spurs, the Nuggets had just one day of rest before matching up against the red-hot Portland Trail Blazers.
In the start of just his second playoff series ever, Jokic brought the same MVP-caliber play that he showed time and time again throughout the regular season. Fighting off 39 points from Portland’s star Damian Lillard, the Nuggets would seal their Game 1 victory.
Denver was led by Jokic, who finished with monster 37-point, nine-rebound, six-assist stat line to take a 1-0 lead on the Blazers.
Nikola Jokic (37 PTS) and @Dame_Lillard (39 PTS) trade buckets in Game 1 of the @nuggets/@trailblazers series! #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/U9fUukWoHI
— NBA (@NBA) April 30, 2019
The Joker shot an efficient 11-for-18 from the floor, made three of his five triples and knocked down all 12 of his free throws. The Nuggets were unable to win the series when all was said and done, but this was an impressive start to the second round after such a quick turnaround from Game 7.