Deni Avdija scored a season-high 36 points on 12-of-16 shooting to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a convincing 128-109 victory over the visiting Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
Shaedon Sharpe added 23 points as Portland (32-39) won its fourth straight game. Avdija made four 3-pointers and also had eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals during his fourth 30-point effort of the month.
Dalano Banton added 19 points and five assists off the bench on a night in which Portland played without Anfernee Simons (illness), Jerami Grant (knee), Deandre Ayton (calf) and Donovan Clingan (illness).
Scoot Henderson and Toumani Camara added 16 points apiece for the Trail Blazers, who outscored Denver 40-27 in the fourth quarter. Duop Reath added 12 points and seven rebounds for Portland.
Aaron Gordon scored 23 points for the Nuggets, who were without three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic (ankle) for the third straight game. Denver is in fourth place in the Western Conference, three percentage points behind the Los Angeles Lakers.
Russell Westbrook had 18 points, Michael Porter Jr. tallied 17 and Christian Braun had 15 points for Denver, which has dropped its last two games. Peyton Watson had 12 points off the bench and Jamal Murray scored 10 for the Nuggets, who lost to the Trail Blazers for just the second time in the past 11 meetings.
Portland remained two games behind the Phoenix Suns (34-37) and Dallas Mavericks (34-37) in the battle for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix and Dallas also won their respective games on Friday night.
The Trail Blazers shot 54 percent from the field and made 14 of 35 3-point attempts.
Denver made 50 percent of its shots and was 9 of 26 from behind the arc.
The Trail Blazers led 88-82 entering the fourth period.
Banton soon converted two three-point plays during an 11-4 push as Portland took a 104-93 lead with 8:35 remaining.
The margin was nine with seven minutes left before the Trail Blazers delivered the knockout punch by scoring 13 consecutive points.
Camara started the run with a trey and had five points during the surge. Avdija made four free throws, including two to end the run, and give Portland a 120-98 lead with 4:19 remaining.
Avdija’s dunk made it 125-102 with 3:02 left as the Trail Blazers finished off the pivotal victory.
Westbrook scored 15 first-half points as Denver led 59-54 at the break. Avdija had 13 in the half for the Trail Blazers.
–Field Level Media
