PORTLAND, Ore. — The first-round NBA playoff series between the sixth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers and third-seeded Denver Nuggets shifts to Portland for Game 3. The series is tied 1-1 after the first two games in Denver.
Time: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
TV: NBATV, NBC Sports Northwest
Odds: Trail Blazers -4; over/under 228
Injury report: Trail Blazers: Zach Collins out (ankle); Nuggets: PJ Dozier out (adductor), Jamal Murray out (knee), Will Barton out (hamstring).
Bottom line: The Nuggets won Game 2, 128-109, to even the series 1-1. Nikola Jokic scored 38 points for the Nuggets and Damian Lillard had 42 points in the loss for Portland.
LISTEN: 3-on-3 Blazers podcast
Blazers' top performers: Lillard is the leading scorer in the playoffs through the first two games, averaging 38 points per game. He's shooting 50% from the 3-point line on 14 attempts per game. He's also averaging 11.5 assists. CJ McCollum is averaging 21 points and shooting 53.1% from the field and 50% from 3 in the first two games of this series.
Nuggets' top performers: Jokic is the third-leading scorer in the playoffs, averaging 36 points per game while shooting 61.7% from the field and 45.5% from 3. Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 21.5 points and shooting 25% from 3 in the first two games.
With loosened COVID-19 restrictions in Multnomah County, the Moda Center is now allowed to operate at half capacity, which means around 8,000 fans are likely to attend.
On Monday, the Blazers announced the Moda Center will have sections available for fully vaccinated fans who are 16 and older and are at least two weeks removed from their final dose.
KGW News spoke with Blazers president and CEO Chris McGowan.
"Playoffs are always exciting, but with what we've been through the last year-and-a-half, what the community's been through, it's great that our game can be used as a place for everyone to come together and cheer on the Blazers and hopefully see a win tonight," he said.
