PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers started five rookies Saturday night against Denver, only the second time that has happened since starters were first tracked on NBA box scores more than 50 years ago.
Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick in the draft, was in the lineup along with Duop Reath, Kris Murray, Toumani Camara and Rayan Rupert against the reigning NBA champions. The Blazers hung tough against the Nuggets before losing 114-111. Reath led the way for the Blazers with 24 points and eight rebounds and Henderson added 22 points, six assists and four rebounds.
Denver was without Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Aaron Gordon paced the Nuggets with 22 points and 12 rebounds and Reggie Jackson added 23 points.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Denver Nuggets 114, Portland Trail Blazers 111
After Michael Porter Jr. gave the Nuggets a 109-98 lead with 2:04 remaining, Portland made a final run, starting with a 3-pointer by Reath. The Blazers forced a turnover and cut the lead to 109-105 on a layup by Toumani Camara with 50.5 seconds left.
A layup from Jackson pushed the Nuggets ahead 111-105. Henderson responded with a layup to make it 111-107 with 27 seconds remaining.
Henderson’s layup with 10 seconds left made it 112-109 after Jackson split a pair of free throws. After Gordon split a pair of foul shots of his own, Henderson made another layup to make it 113-111.
Portland fouled Jackson with 1.9 seconds and he made one of two at the line again, but Kris Murray’s full-court heave to tie missed.
After going 0 for 11 from deep in the first half, Portland made six 3-pointers in the third quarter to get back into it.
"I think some of the ones we took in the first half weren't the ones that we wanted," Henderson said of Portland's shooting. "I think in the second half, we were really finding that shot, getting into the paint and then kicking out. We were getting paint touches and then spraying 3s."
A free throw from Dalano Banton cut Denver's lead to 85-83 heading into the final period.
That was the first time an NBA team sent out five rookies to start since the Golden State Warriors on April 26, 2012, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Klay Thompson started that night against San Antonio along with Charles Jenkins, Chris Wright, Jeremy Tyler and Mickell Gladness in their final game of that lockout-shortened season.
Starters were first tracked on NBA box scores in the 1971-72 season.
The Trail Blazers have the second-worst record in the Western Conference. They are missing key players such as Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton, Shaedon Sharpe and Malcolm Brogdon because of injuries.
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