NBA Playoffs 2019: Denver Nuggets vs. Portland Trail Blazers Game 2 live stream: Watch online
By Ian Levy
The stars led the way in Game 1. Will Damian Lillard and his Trail Blazers or Nikola Jokic and his Nuggets prevail in Game 2?
Game 1 between the Nuggets and Trail Blazers was an offensive explosion with Nikola Jokic and Damian Lillard leading their teams with 37 and 39 points, respectively. Both teams shot better than 50 percent from the field and they combined to hit 23 3-pointers. Tightening the screws on defense will be a priority in Game 2 but there may not be much either team can do besides simply try and outscore their opponent.
The Nuggets played the pick-and-roll high, aggressively hedging or trapping Lillard and trying to take the ball out of his hands. It chewed up some of his space for pull-up 3-point attempts but he simply drove to the basket, finishing 8-of-9 inside the paint and getting to the free throw line 13 times. Enes Kanter was excellent as a finisher but Portland will need a more efficient game from CJ McCollum and some 3s to go down for Mo Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu for them to really hit their peak.
Denver got a fantastic game from Jokic, who was 11-of-18 from the field and added 6 assists. They also saw Paul Millsap exploit his size and strength advantage against Portland’s long forwards, putting up 19 points, and an excellent 8-of-15 shooting performance from Jamal Murray. Jokic is the most important player but he is at his best as an offensive hub and they need the rest of their supporting cast to be playing their roles effectively.
Date: Wednesday, May 1
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Location: Denver, CO
Venue: Pepsi Center
TV Info: TNT
Live Stream: Qualified subscribers can watch on the WatchTNT app or FuboTV (sign-up for a free trial).
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Will Lillard deliver another signature playoff performance or will Jokic lead his team to a commanding 2-0 series lead.