Avdija Scores 28 as Trail Blazers Rally Past Nuggets 118-110 in Denver

Deni Avdija scored 28 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, as the Portland Trail Blazers came from 14 points down to beat the Denver Nuggets 118-110 at Ball Arena on Monday night. Portland trailed for the first 32 minutes, did not lead until late in the third quarter, and then outscored Denver 60-44 in the second half to snap an 18-game regular-season losing streak in Denver and stay perfect on the road this season.

Key Points

• Avdija led Portland with 28 points, three rebounds and five assists, a season high.
• The Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets 118-110 in Denver on Monday, November 2, 2026.
• Portland trailed by 14 in the second quarter and did not lead until late in the third.
• Donovan Clingan had 17 points and 18 rebounds; Jrue Holiday added 17 points and 10 assists off the bench.
• Jamal Murray scored a game-high 35 points and Nikola Jokic had 26 for Denver, which fell to 3-3.

What Happened

Denver controlled the early hours. The Nuggets won the first quarter 31-19 and led by as many as 14 points in the second, before Portland hit five three-pointers in a row to cut the gap to 54-53 late in the half. Denver still led 66-58 at half-time. The visitors finally tied it with 3:58 left in the third quarter on an Avdija three-pointer, and Jrue Holiday's layup less than a minute later gave them an 82-80 lead, their first of the night.

Denver edged back in front, 87-85, heading into the fourth, but with Jokic on the bench to start the final period, Portland opened with a 9-2 run capped by a Holiday three-pointer for 94-89. Jokic's first three pulled Denver back to 101-99 with 5:31 left, but Avdija hit two straight driving layups and Holiday drained a corner three to make it 108-99 with three minutes left. Jokic and Murray cut it to 110-107, before a Toumani Camara three-pointer and an Avdija floater sealed the win.

The box score underlined Portland's balance. Avdija shot 10-for-22 with six free throws, Damian Lillard scored 20 points with six rebounds and six assists despite struggling from three-point range, and Holiday flirted with a triple-double off the bench: 17 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists. Clingan's 17 points and 18 rebounds gave him his first double-double of the season. For Denver, Murray shot 10-for-19 and made all 11 of his free throws for 35 points, Jokic finished with 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Christian Braun added 14.

Background and Context

The result ended a long roadblock for Portland. The Trail Blazers had lost 18 straight regular-season games in Denver, a streak that stretched back years, and they arrived at Ball Arena after a chastening 22-point home defeat to Memphis. Instead of folding, they won the first two games of a four-game road trip and improved to 5-1 overall and 4-0 away from home. Portland is in a stretch of six road games out of seven.

Denver, meanwhile, slipped to 3-3 and has now lost two of its first three home games. Murray followed a 39-point night at Phoenix with 35 more, but the Nuggets could not hold a double-digit lead or survive Portland's second-half surge. Portland shot 46.7 percent from the field and made 15 of 41 three-pointers; Denver shot 46.8 percent and made nine of 26 from deep.

Deni Avdija 28 Points Lead Trail Blazers Comeback

Avdija's night was a portrait of steady accumulation turning into a late takeover. His 28 points were a season high, his fifth straight game with at least 23 points, and nine of them came in the fourth quarter, when Portland needed a closer. He tied the game in the third and hit the floater that helped put it away. With Lillard beside him scoring 20, Portland's new star duo combined for 19 free-throw attempts and repeatedly attacked a Denver defence built around Jokic's limitations as a rim protector.

The supporting cast mattered just as much. Holiday's near triple-double off the bench changed the game in the second half, Clingan owned the glass with 18 rebounds, and Camara's late three, with 1:09 left, was the final blow. Portland's second-half numbers tell the story: 60 points to Denver's 44, after trailing by eight at half-time.

Reactions and Quotes

The reporting from Denver framed the win as a statement about Portland's road toughness. A team beaten by 22 at home days earlier, 14 down in the second quarter and winless in Denver in 18 tries, kept coming and finished the stronger side. Holiday reflected a locker room that believed in the comeback long before the scoreboard showed it.

For Denver, the questions are about closing games. The Nuggets led for most of the night, got 35 points from Murray and a near triple-double from Jokic, and still lost by eight at home. Losing two of three at Ball Arena to start the season is a trend Denver will want to correct quickly, with Toronto visiting next.

Why It Matters

For Portland, this is the kind of win that builds a season. A 5-1 start, a 4-0 road record and a broken Denver hoodoo give a young, reshaped team real belief, and the way they won it matters more than the margin. Avdija's five-game run, Lillard's co-star role and Holiday's bench impact all point the same way: this Portland side can win in different ways, on the road, against good teams.

For Denver, the defeat is a warning rather than a crisis. The Nuggets are 3-3, Murray is scoring freely and Jokic remains close to a triple-double most nights, but home defeats to teams they led comfortably will cost them seeding if they become a habit. The second-half collapse, outscored by 16 after half-time, is the part that will sting in the film room.

What Happens Next

Portland continues its road trip against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, while Denver stays home to host the Toronto Raptors. The Trail Blazers will try to extend a perfect road record; the Nuggets will try to prove that Monday's second half was an aberration, not a pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score? Portland Trail Blazers 118, Denver Nuggets 110, on Monday, November 2, 2026, at Ball Arena in Denver.

How many points did Deni Avdija score? A season-high 28 points, with three rebounds and five assists, including nine points in the fourth quarter.

Who else starred for Portland? Damian Lillard scored 20 points, Jrue Holiday had 17 points and 10 assists off the bench, and Donovan Clingan posted 17 points and 18 rebounds.

Who led Denver? Jamal Murray scored a game-high 35 points and Nikola Jokic added 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

What is Portland's record now? The Trail Blazers improved to 5-1 overall and 4-0 on the road; Denver fell to 3-3.

Related coverage: Hawks beat Pacers 108-104, Timberwolves beat Bucks 112-100, 76ers beat Bulls 126-107.