Nuggets' 3-point shooting dooms Denver in series opener

For a brief moment, the lid came off Denver’s basket.

Will Barton swished a 3 off a kick-out from Nikola Jokic early in the third quarter to trim the Spurs’ lead to five. Then Barton followed with a driving finger roll, briefly reenergizing a crowd that had gone quiet amidst the Nuggets’ 3-point struggles. But Denver’s basket sealed itself shut again. This time for the rest of the night.

The Nuggets fell 101-96 to the Spurs in Game 1. Their 3-point shooting doomed them again.

Denver hasn’t been able to shoot from beyond the arc since the All-Star break. Over the last two months, the Nuggets have been a bottom-10 3-point shooting team. Denver shot just 5-28 from 3-point range tonight.

Nikola Jokic shot just 4-9 from the field but secured his first career playoff triple-double. It didn’t matter. Jamal Murray struggled from the field and finished with 17 points on just 8-24 shooting. He got hot late in the fourth quarter. That didn’t matter either. Murray’s turnover on Denver’s final possession doomed the Nuggets.

Gary Harris added 20 points in the losing effort.

The Nuggets shot just 43% from the field and 2-13 from 3 in the first half.

Game 2 is Tuesday in Denver.