PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) —
Jamal Murray’s 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds remaining lifted the Denver Nuggets to a thrilling 121-120 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
Damian Lillard had 40 points for the Trail Blazers, including a 3-pointer that gave them a one-point lead with 8.8 seconds remaining.
Murray then answered with his 3 from the left side for the last of the game’s 20 lead changes.
Jokic had 33 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for Denver, which rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to snap a three-game losing streak.
Murray scored 21 points in a memorable moment in his return after missing all of last season recovering from knee surgery.
Aaron Gordon had 20 points and Bones Hyland added 13 off the bench.
Lillard finished with 12 assists and nine 3-pointers. Jusuf Nurkic had 21 points and nine rebounds, but Anfernee Simons was 3 for 12, missing all six attempts behind the arc.
Portland’s defense on the final possession against Murray left its coach disappointed.
The Nuggets fought their way back early in the fourth quarter, cutting the Blazers’ lead to 104-103 with 7:07 left on a 3-pointer by Murray.
Jokic’s floater put the Nuggets ahead for the first time in the second half at 105-104.
Gordon’s tip-in put the Nuggets ahead 118-117 with 17 seconds left before Lillard’s final 3-pointer made it 120-118. After Murray’s 3, the Nuggets batted away Portland’s final inbounds pass.
Lillard scored eight points in the first four minutes of the third quarter to help the Blazers take a nine-point lead. He had 18 points in the quarter, giving the Blazers a 99-89 lead heading into the fourth.