Nikola Jokic, Nuggets Eliminate Blazers in Game 6 Despite Damian Lillard’s 28

Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

In a year of injuries, Nikola Jokic was the NBA’s iron man, staying healthy as competitors dropped like flies to emerge as the runaway MVP favorite. When the injury bug bit his team, taking out co-star Jamal Murray, it would have been understandable if the Nuggets folded.

They entered Round 1 as underdogs to the Portland Trail Blazers and dropped Game 1 at home, with panic buttons being smashed in metropolitan Denver. 

Instead, Jokic rallied what was left of the Nuggets roster around him, righted the ship and showed why he’s the game’s best center.

Jokic poured in 36 points, eight rebounds and six assists and Michael Porter Jr. added 26 points, leading the Nuggets to a 126-115 win over the Blazers in Game 6 to complete a 4-2 victory in their first-round series.

Denver trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half as it looked like Portland would force a Game 7. But the Blazers went ice cold in the fourth quarter while Jokic and Monte Morris led a come-from-behind rally. The Nuggets soared to a fourth-quarter lead that stretched as far as 11 points.

Damian Lillard, fresh off a sensational 55-point effort, finished with 28 points and 13 assists. CJ McCollum had 21 points but continued to struggle shooting, finishing 9-of-21 from the field.

This article will be updated shortly to provide more information on this game.

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