Blazers Drop OT Heartbreaker to Nuggets, Fall Behind Clippers in West Standings

The Portland Trail Blazers are stunned after losing to the Denver Nuggets 137-132 in overtime inside Ball Arena.

The Blazers built a lead as large as 16 points in the fourth quarter, but the Nuggets kept chipping away. As the crowd energy grew, the Nuggets soared back and overcame their double-digit deficit to force overtime against the Blazers. From there, the Blazers were outscored 12-7 in the final five minutes to secure the victory:

While the Nuggets came back to win the game, the Blazers showed a lot of promise in the first 3.5 quarters of the contest. Here's what stood out from the loss on the Blazers side.

Toumani Camara’s Three-Point Explosion

Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara shoots a jump shot during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Defensive specialist Toumani Camara continues to showcase growth in his offensive game by finishingd with a team-high 30 points, fueled by an impressive 8-of-13 performance from three-point range.

Camara has been decent from beyond the 3-point line making over 36 percent of his looks, but his ability to punish the Nuggets' drop coverage forced Denver to make adjustments. They did so late, but they got it right in the nick of time.

Deni Avdija was right next to him as he logged a team-high 40 minutes, working his way to 26 points. While he struggled from distance by making just 1-of-6 from downtown, he was relentless getting to the foul line, making 13-of-14 of his free throws.

Supporting Cast Shines

Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday warms up before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Jrue Holiday had a double-double with 19 points and 11 assists. His leadership helped Portland build a massive lead during Denver's late 16-point surge.

Donovan Clingan battled Nikola Jokic admirably, tallying 18 points and 12 rebounds (6 offensive) and stayed out of foul trouble. Jokic still went for 35 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, but he is a two-time MVP in the league because of his all-around game. His interior helped the Blazers compete on the glass, though he was a -5 in his 30 minutes of action.

Matisse Thybulle was hot on defense, recording five "stocks" (steals + blocks), racking up five steals and a block in 33 minutes of action off the bench to help the Blazers in transition.

Thybulle, Robert Williams III, and Kris Murray combined for a +10 on the court. Portland's bench is often outperforming their starters in defensive efficiency, which should make head coach Tiago Splitter question his playoff rotations.

Play-in Positioning

The Clippers are ahead of the Blazers by just 0.5 games, so the result of their Friday meeting at the Moda Center will likely determine who gets two chances to advance in the play-in tournament (the No. 8 seed) and who faces a must-win scenario immediately (the No. 9 seed). The Blazers currently have momentum after beating the Clippers 114-104 on March 31, but all could change in Portland later in the week.

Before the game against the Clips, the Blazers will face off against the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs. Tip-off is scheduled for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. PT inside the Frost Bank Center. Fans can watch the game on ESPN or stream it on the ESPN app.