But the Nuggets couldn’t get him the ball in crunch time. Portland played small, double-teamed him and fronted him in the post. The weak-side shooter was often open, but the Blazers’ pressure was suffocating enough that Denver’s ball-handlers had a difficult time seeing the court and moving it to the second side.

The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers square off on Halloween in the first NBA Cup action of this season.