Deni Avdija scores 28 and the Trail Blazers rally from 14 down to beat the Nuggets 118-110 for a 5-1 start

Deni Avdija scored 28 points, nine of them in the fourth quarter, and the Portland Trail Blazers rallied from 14 down to beat the Denver Nuggets 118-110 at Ball Arena on Monday, November 2, for their fifth win in six games. Portland is 5-1 and a perfect 4-0 on the road. Denver, 3-3, is 1-2 at home despite 35 points from Jamal Murray and 26 from Nikola Jokic.

THE BLAZERS IMPROVE TO 5-1 🔥

Deni Avdija: 28 PTS, 5 AST
Damian Lillard: 20 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST
Donovan Clingan: 17 PTS, 18 REB, 4 BLK
Jrue Holiday: 17 PTS, 8 REB, 10 AST, 3 3PM pic.twitter.com/hpL6GePPWw

— NBA (@NBA) November 3, 2026

Video: NBA / X.

Donovan Clingan had 17 points and 18 rebounds, nine of them offensive, with four blocks, Damian Lillard scored 20 on 9-of-10 free-throw shooting with 6 assists and 6 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday had 17 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting. Holiday was a plus-13 in 31 minutes.

How it turned

Denver started fast. Murray scored 11 of the Nuggets’ first 19 points, and Denver led 31-19 after the first quarter and 33-19 early in the second on a DeMar DeRozan jumper, the Nuggets’ largest lead. Portland answered with a 39-point second quarter, with Lillard scoring eight of his points in the period and Clingan and Holiday adding baskets. Murray’s free throws and a dunk helped Denver stretch it back, and the Nuggets led 66-58 at halftime.

The Trail Blazers cut a 68-58 deficit to a tie at 78-78 on Avdija’s 25-foot three with 4:25 left in the third quarter, and took their first lead, 82-80, on a Holiday layup with 3:33 left. Jokic and Murray put Denver back in front, and Denver led 87-85 after three quarters. Portland scored 33 in the fourth.

Chris Youngblood’s tip-in with 9:28 left gave Portland a 91-89 lead, and Holiday’s 26-foot three with 8:49 left made it 94-89. Portland never trailed again. Denver got within two, 101-99, on a Jokic three with 5:31 left, but Avdija scored two baskets and Holiday hit a 24-foot three, and the Trail Blazers led 108-99 with 3:05 left.

Jrue was masterful in the Mile High 😤

17 PTS | 10 AST | 8 REB | 64 FG% | 2 STOCKS 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/MQRXEJlvUI

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) November 3, 2026

Video: Trail Blazers / X.

Murray hit a 26-foot step-back to cut it to 108-102, and his 22-foot three with 1:18 left made it 110-107. Toumani Camara answered with a 23-foot three with 1:09 left, and Avdija’s floater with 32.5 seconds left put Portland up 115-107. Jokic hit a 27-footer to make it 115-110, but Avdija made two free throws and finished with a running layup with 1.7 seconds left.

The numbers

Portland outrebounded Denver 53-37 and had 21 offensive rebounds to Denver’s 9, and outscored the Nuggets 54-44 in the paint. The Trail Blazers shot 47% (43 of 92), made 15 of 41 threes and 17 of 21 free throws, and committed 16 turnovers. Denver shot 47% (36 of 77), made 9 of 26 threes and 29 of 34 free throws, and had 13 steals to Portland’s 3.

The Nuggets’ side

Murray shot 10 of 19 and made all 11 of his free throws in 39 minutes. Jokic shot 10 of 22 and had 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals. Christian Braun scored 14, and DeRozan had 9 points in 20 minutes off the bench. Aaron Gordon scored 5 points and was a minus-14. Spencer Jones and Julian Strawther were out for Denver.

Portland was without Ja Morant (hamstring) and Shaedon Sharpe (knee). Sidy Cissoko scored 8 on 3-of-3 shooting, and Youngblood had 7 points and was a plus-22 in 15 minutes.

What’s next

Portland visits the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, November 4, at 9:00 p.m. ET (4:00 a.m. Thursday Cairo time). Denver hosts the Toronto Raptors the same night at 9:00 p.m. ET (4:00 a.m. Thursday Cairo time).

Full box score and play-by-play: Game Center. All-time head-to-head.