Portland Trail Blazers (35-36, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (43-28, fifth in the Western Conference)
Denver; Sunday, 5 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Denver will try to keep its three-game home win streak intact when the Nuggets play Portland.
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The Nuggets have gone 25-16 against Western Conference opponents. Denver averages 120.7 points while outscoring opponents by 4.2 points per game.
The Trail Blazers are 25-19 in Western Conference play. Portland is ninth in the Western Conference scoring 115.1 points per game and is shooting 45.1%.
The Nuggets’ 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.9 more made shots on average than the 12.9 per game the Trail Blazers give up. The Trail Blazers average 115.1 points per game, 1.4 fewer than the 116.5 the Nuggets give up.
The two teams play for the third time this season. The Nuggets defeated the Trail Blazers 157-103 in their last meeting on Feb. 21. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 32 points, and Jrue Holiday led the Trail Blazers with 19 points.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Jokic is averaging 28.1 points, 12.6 rebounds, 10.5 assists and 1.5 steals for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray is averaging 24.2 points over the last 10 games.
Deni Avdija is scoring 24.2 points per game with 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists for the Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant is averaging 17.5 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 49.2% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 123.0 points, 43.3 rebounds, 30.2 assists, 6.5 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.6 points per game.
Trail Blazers: 6-4, averaging 113.0 points, 47.4 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 8.5 steals and 7.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.0 points.
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INJURIES: Nuggets: Aaron Gordon: day to day (rest), Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).
Trail Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Vit Krejci: day to day (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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