3 Winners, 1 Loser in Blazers Win Over Nuggets

The Portland Trail Blazers are celebrating after a comeback victory against the Denver Nuggets inside Ball Arena.

The Blazers trailed by as much as 14 points during the game and did not lead going into the fourth quarter, but they managed to hold Denver to just 23 points in the final frame, leading to a 118-110 victory.

Here's a look at the winners and losers from the matchup.

Winner: Jrue Holiday

Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jrue Holiday proved exactly why the Blazers wanted to keep him. In 31 minutes off the bench, he scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. He also had 10 assists and was two rebounds shy of a triple-double, snagging eight boards.

Holiday was able to do it all for the Blazers and bring a mellowness to the group when they really needed it. Portland committed 16 turnovers, which was definitely an issue, but they were able to find a way to win as Holiday was the guiding light the team needed.

When the team was down, Holiday didn't panic, and the Blazers followed his lead throughout the evening.

Winner: Donovan Clingan

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as center Donovan Clingan looks on in the fourth quarter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Donovan Clingan had a tough assignment defending Nikola Jokic, but he was able to keep him at bay for the most part. A big reason the Blazers pulled out a win was their effort on the glass. Clingan had nine of the team's 21 offensive rebounds.

If Clingan can play like this against the top centers in the Western Conference, the Blazers should be right there with the best of them.

Winner: Chris Youngblood

Portland Trail Blazers guard Chris Youngblood passes the ball | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Ja Morant out for the next several weeks, the team is giving two-way player Chris Youngblood a chance to earn some rotation minutes. He proved the coaching staff right in the team's game against the Nuggets, playing 15 minutes and being a +22 on the floor.

This likely means Youngblood will see stretches of playing time throughout the rest of the month as the team looks to him for some help with backcourt depth.

Loser: Scoot Henderson

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson attempts a shot in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the second straight game, Scoot Henderson drew the start, but he managed to score just 8 points on 3-of-10 shooting from the floor. Henderson is still trying to find his rhythm next to Damian Lillard, so it isn't time to panic just yet. That said, the Blazers need to see some progress from Henderson, and Morant's absence gives him an opportunity to step into a larger role.

The hope is that Henderson will find his touch once again, but he is going to have to look at the film and figure out where he can make some improvements.

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