What the Blazers Learned from Getting 'Schooled' by the Nuggets

The Portland Trail Blazers are learning a valuable lesson after their overtime loss against the Denver Nuggets.

Portland didn't just lose a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter, they witnessed the clinical efficiency of a team that doesn't panic. Following the game, Blazers acting head coach Tiago Splitter didn't mince words about the gap between a rising roster and a finished product.

“I told them at halftime they’re going to come back, they’re going to make a run,” Splitter said h/t The Oregonian's Joe Freeman.

“This is a very experienced, vet team that has been in this situation 100 times or more. So, yes, it’s a learning experience. We’re going to have those games coming up — the Clippers, San Antonio, Sac, and then the play-in — and we’ve got to finish those games. This is where you learn from it. We just got schooled by one of, if not the, best team in the NBA right now.”

How the Blazers Got 'Schooled'

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Nuggets are a battle-tested team, which gives them the ability to flip a switch when the game enters "winning time," especially against a team like the Blazers that doesn't possess the same level of experience.

While the Blazers' offense became stagnant under pressure, the Nuggets doubled down on their ball movement, allowing them to get high-percentage looks down the stretch.

Splitter’s halftime comments predicted the Nuggets' comeback, but the Blazers still weren't ready for what;'s to come.

Having veteran forward Jerami Grant, who played for the Nuggets in 2019-20, would have been valuable for the Blazers, but he is still on the sidelines with a calf injury. Had he been on the court, the Blazers likely would have had a different outcome.

Watching the game shift in the fourth quarter wasn't just about missed shots from the Blazers, it was a visible change in gravity and spacing. You could see in real time how the Nuggets were adjusting to the Blazers rotations and they executed it well.

For a young Blazers squad, this was a lesson in how not to panic. The Nuggets could have easily folded down 16 points in the fourth quarter, but their championship pedigree refused to make that happen as they won their ninth game in a row.

The Blazers played well against one of the hottest teams in the league, but if there isn't a full effort for 48 minutes, or in this case, 53 minutes, wins in the playoffs will be hard to come by.

The Gauntlet Ahead

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija dribbles past San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The Blazers have to shake this loss off quickly and they cannot allow it to snowball into further defeats with so much on the line in the final week of the regular season. These games could be the difference between playing in the postseason or sitting on the couch.

The Spurs represent the team the Blazers are trying to become: a young group finally clicking with their young core. The Spurs are also fighting to hold on to faint hopes of clinching the West's No. 1 seed, so the Blazers will have the odds stacked against them on the road.

The game against the Clippers will also be a big one as the two teams are in direct competition with each other for the No. 8 seed. It's entirely possible the winner of this game will achieve homecourt advantage for an inevitable meeting in the Play-In Tournament.

Why This Matters for the Play-In

Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday controls the ball as Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. guards. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

It's possible that the loss against the Nuggets could be a good thing for the Blazers. That foul taste in their mouth after the game is something that they will remember for the next few games and that reminder could serve them well as crunch time approaches.

The Blazers don't want to lose like they did against the Nuggets again, so they are going to do what it takes to make sure it doesn't happen when the stakes are higher.