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<\/a><\/p>\nOct 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<\/p>\n
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\u2019ve been missing the game, man, he said in his first response to reporters. He also talked about his highlight alley oop over Jonas Valan\u010di\u016bnas in the fourth quarter, courtesy of a feed from Holiday that the guard had been scheming up since before tipoff.<\/p>\n
\u201cShoutout Jrue, man,\u201d Williams said about the play. \u201cHe said [before the game] he was going to give me one. It for sure felt good.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s desire to play fast and attack the rim. It grounded Portland\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019t stop Jokic, but the activity helped keep the ball out of his hands and force more turnovers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe tried to change the matchups and not give them the same diet the whole game,\u201d Splitter said. \u201cThis time it worked. Sometimes you just throw things at the wall and see if it sticks, but today, it stuck.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
As the Blazers tried to protect a tie with under 30 seconds left, that\u2019s 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?).<\/p>\n
\u201cToumani was huge,\u201d Avdija said. \u201cIt\u2019s so fun to play with somebody who competes every possession, that\u2019s in the right spot at the right time every time, and the sky\u2019s the limit for him. I just love how he plays on defense.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Even then, the drama wasn\u2019t 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\u2019t creep over the front of the rim, dancing off after two bounces.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n