The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers will be meeting for the final time of the regular season.
The Denver Nuggets (44-26) visit the Portland Trail Blazers (31-39) on Friday in a matchup with playoff implications for both teams (10 p.m. ET, League Pass). Denver sits third in the West after falling to the Lakers on Wednesday, while Portland has won three straight, closing the gap to just two games behind Phoenix for the No. 10 seed.
Five things to know before tip-off:
1. Aaron Gordon gaining steam: Gordon has stepped into the starting center role for Denver with Nikola Jokić sidelined the past two games due to elbow and ankle injuries. Filling Jokić’s shoes is no small task, but Gordon has thrived, averaging 32 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 62.2% from the field, 60% from 3, and 90% from the line in 33.6 minutes. With Jokić’s status uncertain for Friday, the Nuggets know they can count on Gordon to hold down the middle.
2. Russell Westbrook in a groove: Jokić isn’t the only Nuggets starter dealing with injuries, as Jamal Murray has missed the last two games with a right ankle sprain. Westbrook has been solid throughout March, averaging 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 33.0 minutes while hitting 37.9% of his nearly six 3-point attempts per game. He shined in Denver’s win over Golden State on Monday, recording his fourth triple-double of the season with 12 points, 12 rebounds, 16 assists, two blocks, and three steals in 42 minutes. If Murray remains out, Nuggets coach Michael Malone will lean heavily on Westbrook to run the offense.
3. Blazers fighting for Play-In berth: Winners of three straight, the Trail Blazers are now just two games behind the Suns for the final spot in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, taking place April 15-18. Amid a seven-game homestand, Portland faces a tough stretch ahead with Denver on Friday, Boston on Sunday (No. 2 in the East), and East-leading Cleveland on Tuesday. Their remaining schedule doesn’t get much easier, as six of their final nine games are against current playoff teams.
4. Deni Avdija becoming a two-way force: Avdija has been on a tear over the past month. After averaging 13.9 points in February, the fifth-year forward has exploded in March. In eight games, he’s putting up 22.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 34.9 minutes while shooting 49.5% from the field and 47.8% from 3. He has three 30-point games, three double-doubles, and even notched his first career triple-double on March 2 against Cleveland. Avdija continues to prove he’s a key piece in Portland’s future.
5. Anfernee Simons getting buckets: Simons has also been on a hot streak in March. Over his last 10 games, the seventh-year guard is averaging 25.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.0 steals in 34.5 minutes per game. He has reached the 30-point mark in five of those contests and has been nearly automatic from the free-throw line (30-for-31). As Portland fights for a postseason spot, Simons and Avdija will be crucial to their success.
