Mar 1, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Wesley Matthews (2) fouls Denver Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried (35) in the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
The Nuggets played well once again against the Portland Trail Blazers, but it was not enough. The team only lost by 6 and they only lost by 5 last time they played. It has been good to see the Nuggs improve, but they are still not winning games. They are 25-33, and their chances of landing a solid pick in next years draft is looking more and more likely.
All around, everyone played well for the Nuggets. Kenneth Faried was huge as he posted 16 points and 10 rebounds. He has been playing great lately, and is proving why the Nuggets didn’t deal him off at the deadline. Also playing well for the starters was Randy Foye. He had 16 points as well, and has been the best player on the team sine Ty Lawson went down with injury.
The bench played amazing last night for the Nuggets. A major reason they were winning games in the beginning of the year was the bench, and they did just that yesterday. Darell Arthur, Evan Fournier, and J.J. Hickson combined for 39 points off the bench. They definitely helped out, and this is a trend that must continue if the Nuggets are seeking improvement this season.
The Blazers got big games out of Robin Lopez and Damien Lillard. Lopez had 18 and 9, and Lillard posted 17 points in the win. The win wasn’t convincing, but they still got the job done. Batum, and Mathews didn’t factor much into the game, and that was a surprise. With this win, the Blazers have swept the series against Denver.
The Nuggets are obviously missing Ty Lawson on the floor. His return is unknown, but all they can do now is continue to find ways to improve. They are stuck in the middle of tanking or attempting to improve and no one knows what direction they will finish the year in. Up next for Denver is the Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow night.