NBA: Anfernee Simons, Blazers survive Nuggets’ 4th-quarter comeback
Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons celebrates his game-winning basket against the Denver Nuggets during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Anfernee Simons scored a driving layup at the buzzer to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a nail-biting 126-124 win over the visiting Denver Nuggets in the NBA on Thursday night.
Simons had 28 points and 10 assists, while fellow starting guard Shaedon Sharpe had 27 points and Deni Avdija contributed 19 in 21 minutes off the bench. Portland snapped a six-game losing streak.
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Simons collected the inbound pass with 16 seconds left in a tie game, patiently played the clock, then blew past Russell Westbrook for the game-winner.
Nikola Jokic led Denver with 34 points and eight assists, Jamal Murray had 24 and nine and Westbrook added 19 and seven respectively as the Nuggets overcame a 17-point deficit after three quarters before losing.
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Christian Braun, who missed one game with a back injury, returned and made a fast start with 11 points in the first quarter points on 4-of-4 shooting. Michael Porter Jr. had 10 points and went 4-for-5 in the period.
The pair piloted a 14-2 burst after a Denver timeout, which turned an 18-15 deficit into a 29-20 cushion.
The Nuggets shot 15-of-21 for the quarter and to lead 35-30. The Trail Blazers scored 14 second-chance points thanks to nine offensive rebounds in the first.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons, top, shoots a game-winning basket over Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook, center, and center Nikola Jokic (15) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Avdija and Simons wrested the lead back for Portland early in the second frame, before Deandre Ayton and Sharpe combined to help stretch the gap to 66-56.
Jokic and Westbrook partnered to close the half on a 10-0 run in the last 1:39 to tie the game at 66 at the half.
Murray’s athletic dunk and following 3-pointer again tied the game at 73 early in the third, before Avdija and Toumani Camara led Portland’s 19-4 burst.
Portland continued to dominate at both ends and outscored Denver 38-21 in the quarter. The Trail Blazers closed the period ahead 104-87 on Simons’ 28-foot stepback over Julian Strawther at the buzzer.
Westbrook engineered a 16-2 Denver revival to trim the gap to three points early in the fourth. Moments later, Murray’s 3-pointer tied the game.
Then Westbrook blocked a shot by Simons and sparked Porter’s running dunk for a brief lead with just under a minute to play. –Field Level Media
