The Portland Trail Blazers have their signature win of the early 2025-26 NBA season — a gritty, improbable, come-from-behind, last-second 109-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at home.
It came against the perennial-contending Nuggets, despite a big-time 21-point, 14-rebound, nine-assist performance from perennial MVP candidate Nikola Jokic. It happened on a night the Blazers battled through adversity and injuries and shooting slumps. It also happened to be the first night of the NBA Cup and Portland’s uphill pursuit in West Group C, dubbed the Group of Death, although Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter said his team didn’t need the extra motivation of Cup Pageantry for this matchup.
“To be honest, we didn’t mention the Cup. I think it’s already a big game,” Splitter said pregame. “You’re playing the Denver Nuggets, one of the contenders, so I don’t think we need even more juice out there. I think we’re good. We are focused.”
Echoing Splitter’s point: The Nuggets presented a great challenge and opportunity for Portland. The Blazers entered Friday off to a solid start at 3-2, but they had dropped their two toughest matchups of the season in close losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves and LA Clippers. Denver and Jokic gave the Blazers another early measuring stick to legitimize their improvement and draw attention to what they’re building. While the Blazers’ chances teetered over the edge multiple times. they rode their new identity of rugged defense and fast pace to weather cold stretches and Denver runs. Then in the final minute — after game-saving defensive plays from forward Toumani Camara and game-winning free throws from the veteran Jerami Grant with 1.4 seconds left — that persistence propelled them across the finish line so they could make their statement.
“We want to put Portland on the map with this team and for this season,” Blazers forward Kris Murray said. “And I think we were able to make a point of that tonight.”
Murray was one of several storylines Friday night at the Moda Center. The Blazers were led by a commanding 23 points from forward Deni Avdija and the steady control of guard Jrue Holiday (11 points, 13 assists), but Murray’s two-way play was pivotal, and he was one of six players to score in double-figures. He stepped up in the absence of the injured wing Matisse Thybulle and mid-game injury departure of guard Blake Wesley to give Portland a needed boost off the bench. The third-year forward, who has danced in and out of the rotation during his Blazers tenure, produced 10 points (on 4-8 shooting), six rebounds and three steals. His play earned him 29 minutes against Denver, continuing a string of solid October performances.
“I think with how we play now offensively, it helps me a lot more because I’m just moving a lot more, and I just feel a little bit more involved,” Murray said. “I think that’s helped me build confidence in this early part of the season.”
Oct 31, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray (24) ties up Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas (17) during the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
The Blazers bench also got a lift from locker room favorite Robert Williams III, who returned from injury to make his regular-season debut. In his first game since Feb. 20, Williams played 11 minutes and logged four points, four rebounds (three offensive), one block and an assist. At the postgame podium, the 28-year-old center was still sweating from a postgame weight-lifting session as he discussed how nice it was to return to the court. You know I’ve been missing the game, man, he said in his first response to reporters. He also talked about his highlight alley oop over Jonas Valančiūnas in the fourth quarter, courtesy of a feed from Holiday that the guard had been scheming up since before tipoff.
“Shoutout Jrue, man,” Williams said about the play. “He said [before the game] he was going to give me one. It for sure felt good.”
Maybe the most compelling aspect of the game was the chess match between Splitter and Nuggets head coach David Adelman. With five games of tape to scout the new-look Blazers, the Nuggets came out in a zone to counter Portland’s desire to play fast and attack the rim. It grounded Portland’s offense to a standstill in the first quarter, forcing missed jumper after missed jumper, until the Blazers finally began to find some semblance of a rhythm thanks to a second-unit burst in the second period.
Meanwhile, the Blazers coaching staff threw different defensive matchups at Jokic all night and mixed up rotations. They began with the standard 7-footer Donovan Clingan on the three-time MVP, but then moved more and more to small-ball lineups that featured forwards defending up a position, assisted by delayed double teams. The Blazers didn’t stop Jokic, but the activity helped keep the ball out of his hands and force more turnovers.
“We tried to change the matchups and not give them the same diet the whole game,” Splitter said. “This time it worked. Sometimes you just throw things at the wall and see if it sticks, but today, it stuck.”
Even with both teams shooting cold (Denver went 24% from deep, Portland 28.2%), the Nuggets held control for much of the game. The Blazers fought back from double digit-deficits in both halves to keep it a ball game. It all set the stage for a close finish. Again, the Blazers looked down and out, trailing 107-102 with 1:01 remaining after a tough Aaron Gordon mid-range jumper. But again, the Blazers stayed the course. A quick Avdija and-1, followed by a stop and two Grant free throws tied the game.
As the Blazers tried to protect a tie with under 30 seconds left, that’s when Camara put his All-Defensive stamp on the contest. First, he flew in from help side to swat a Cam Johnson layup into the stands with 6.9 remaining. Then he tied up Jokic on the ensuing inbound pass from behind to force a jump ball that ultimately got Portland the ball back with 3.0 left (perhaps, Camara got away with a foul here, but fortune favors the bold and all that, right?).
“Toumani was huge,” Avdija said. “It’s so fun to play with somebody who competes every possession, that’s in the right spot at the right time every time, and the sky’s the limit for him. I just love how he plays on defense.”
Out of the timeout, the Blazers got the ball to Grant, who was hit on the wrist as he went up for a midrange jumper. The ball flew out of his hands, but the whistle came to the rescue. Then the vet calmly hit two free throws, giving him 16 points and another highlight in an early season full of them for Grant, who has continued to play some of his best basketball after getting moved to the bench.
Even then, the drama wasn’t over. Denver had no timeouts, but Gordon heaved a looping full-court inbound pass that connected with Jokic on the opposite free throw line. He turned and put up the jumper. It just didn’t creep over the front of the rim, dancing off after two bounces.
Avdija had a good view underneath the basket as the shot missed. He initially raised his arms high. Then he quickly put his hands on his head, in what looked to be a moment of relief, before being the first of many teammates to embrace Grant on the court.
Oct 31, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9), right, celebrates with forward Deni Avdija (8) after a game against the Denver Nuggets at Moda Center. Grant scored the game winning free throws. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
“There were guys with minutes restrictions, guys out, guys playing their first game, a lot of stuff that you have before the game and during the game,” Splitter said. “I think just they’re resilient to go over all of those things and then be ready for the adjustments we did in the game. … The guys were ready, prepared and just brought their A-game.”