published by: Siddharth Sriram
Last update: March 24, 2024, 5:48 p.m. IST
United States of America (USA)
Scoot Henderson of the Portland Trailblazers in action (Credit: AP)
It was the first time an NBA team sent five rookies to start since the Golden State Warriors on April 26, 2012, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Portland Trail Blazers started five rookies Saturday night against Denver, only the second time since starters were first tracked on NBA scores more than 50 years ago.
Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick in the draft, was in the lineup with Duop Reath, Kris Murray, Toumani Camara and Rayan Rupert against the defending NBA champions.
It was the first time an NBA team sent five rookies to start since the Golden State Warriors on April 26, 2012, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Klay Thompson started this night against San Antonio with Charles Jenkins, Chris Wright, Jeremy Tyler and Mickell Gladness in their final game of this lockout-shortened season.
Starters were first tracked on NBA scores during the 1971-72 season.
Reggie Jackson scored 23 points, Aaron Gordon had 22 points and 12 rebounds and the Denver Nuggets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 114-111 on Saturday night.
The Nuggets won without their star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray on a night where the Blazers became the second team to start five rookies since NBA scoring began tracking starters in the 1971 season -72.
The defending champions have won eight of their last nine games and are 14-2 since the All-Star Break.
“Anytime you can win a game without Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, especially on the road, you’ll always accept it,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I’m proud of our group for fighting. You have to give them credit, they came out of halftime in great shape and had us on our heels.
“We didn’t play any defense in the (third) quarter, but down the stretch we made enough plays to get the win.”
Rookie Duop Reath led the Trail Blazers with 24 points. Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick in last year’s draft, finished with 22 points and six assists as the Blazers lost their sixth straight game.
The Trail Blazers have the second-worst record in the Western Conference. They are missing key players such as Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton, Shaedon Sharpe and Malcolm Brogdon due to injuries.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – Associated Press)
