Blazers finish preseason with resounding loss to Nuggets

DENVER — The Denver Nuggets got 24 points from Paul Millsap and 20 points and nine rebounds from Michael Porter Jr. in a 129-96 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA preseason finale Friday night.

Millsap was 9 of 13 from the field and Nuggets had just nine turnovers.

Former Oregon Ducks player Bol Bol had a big game for Denver with 16 points and eight rebounds. Nikola Jokic scored 14 points and six rebounds in just 16 minutes of action in his final tuneup before the start of the regular season.

C.J. McCollum led the Blazers with 26 points on 8-of-20 shooting and Gary Trent Jr. added 18 points in the loss.

Portland, which went 1-3 in preseason games, opens the regular season on Wednesday against the Utah Jazz at the Moda Center.

NUGGETS 129, TRAIL BLAZERS 96

PORTLAND (96) — Covington 3-8 0-0 8, Jones Jr. 3-4 1-1 7, Nurkic 2-6 0-0 4, Hood 2-5 2-2 7, McCollum 8-20 6-6 26, Anthony 0-7 3-4 3, Blevins 2-4 1-2 5, Trent Jr. 7-18 1-2 18, Giles III 2-5 0-0 4, Elleby 1-6 2-2 4, Kanter 3-6 4-4 10. Totals 33-89 20-23 96.

DENVER (129) — Barton 1-4 0-0 3, Millsap 9-13 4-4 24, Jokic 2-3 0-0 4, Harris 5-8 0-0 12, Murray 2-3 4-4 8, Bol 4-12 6-9 16, Cancar 1-4 0-0 2, Dozier 2-4 0-0 5, Hartenstein 3-6 3-5 9, Porter Jr. 6-12 4-5 20, Nnaji 3-6 0-0 7, Campazzo 1-5 0-0 3, Hampton 2-7 0-0 5, Howard 0-0 0-0 0, Morris 4-8 0-0 11. Totals 45-95 21-27 129.

Portland 23 25 27 21— 96

Denver 41 38 28 22—129

3-Point Goals—Portland 10-33 (McCollum 4-9, Trent Jr. 3-8, Covington 2-5, Hood 1-3, Elleby 0-2, Giles III 0-2, Nurkic 0-2), Denver 18-44 (Porter Jr. 4-9, Morris 3-5, Harris 2-5, Millsap 2-5, Bol 2-6, Barton 1-2, Dozier 1-2, Nnaji 1-2, Campazzo 1-3, Hampton 1-3). Fouled Out—Kanter. Rebounds—Portland 42 (Kanter 9), Denver 53 (Porter Jr. 9). Assists—Portland 17 (Nurkic 4), Denver 30 (Jokic 6). Total Fouls—Portland 24, Denver 23.