PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Reggie Jackson scored 23 points, Aaron Gordon scored 22 points and 12 rebounds and the Denver Nuggets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 114-111 Saturday night.
The Nuggets won without their star duo Nikola Jokic And Jamal Murray on a night when the Blazers became the second team to start five rookies since NBA scoring began tracking starters during the 1971-72 season. The defending champions have now won eight of their last nine matches.
Rookie Duop Reath led the Trail Blazers with 24 points. Scoot Hendersonthe No. 3 pick in last year’s draft, finished with 22 points and six assists as the Blazers lost their sixth straight game.
Denver’s largest lead was 15. After Porter gave the Nuggets a 109-98 lead with 2:04 remaining, Portland made its final run starting with a 3-pointer from Reath. The Blazers forced a turnover and cut the lead to 109-105 on a layup from Toumani Camara with 50.5 seconds left.
A Jackson layup pushed the Nuggets ahead 111-105. Henderson responded with a layup to make it 111-107 with 27 seconds remaining.
Henderson’s layup with 10 seconds remaining made the score 112-109 after Jackson split two free throws. After Gordon split two foul shots of his own, Henderson made another layup to make it 113-111.
Portland fouled Jackson with 1.9 seconds left and he still made one of two at the line, but Kris MurrayThe full-court heave to equalize was lacking.
After going 0 of 11 in the first half, Portland made six 3-pointers in the third quarter to get back into it. A free throw from Dalano Banton cut Denver’s lead to 85-83 heading into the final period.
YOUTH BLAZERS
Henderson started with Murray, Camara, Reath and Rayan Rupert.
Saturday was the first time a team started five rookies since Warriors of the Golden State on April 26, 2012, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Klay Thompson started that night for the Warriors alongside Charles Jenkins, Chris Wright, Jeremy Tyler and Mickell Gladness in their final game of a lockout-shortened season.
The Blazers have the second-worst record in the Western Conference. Saturday night, they were without several key players, including Simons, Jerami Scholarship, Deandre Ayton, Shaedon Sharpe And Malcolm Brogdon.
FOLLOWING
Nuggets: Host Memphis Monday night.
Trail Blazers: At Houston Monday night.
