Nuggets stonewall Trail Blazers to win sixth straight

DENVER — In a must-win game, a Nuggets team that lights up scoreboards had a hard time making it move. The Nuggets entered Monday’s showdown agains the Portland Trail Blazers in control of its playoff destiny. They needed two wins to guarantee a postseason trip.

Denver didn’t bring its “A” game offensively — or anything close to it really, shooting just 37.3 percent from the floor — but still found a way to win anyway, 88-82. The victory, which was Denver’s sixth straight, guarantees the Nuggets a spot in the postseason by winning Wednesday in Minnesota.

Will Barton was Denver’s only player to get into any sort of rhythm throughout the game. He scored 22 points on 8-15 shooting. Nikola Jokic started slow, but he still posted a monster 18-point, 20-rebound, 11-assist stat line.

Denver limited Portland to 33.0 percent shooting. The Nuggets held the Trail Blazers to just 13 fourth-quarter points.

Jamal Murray was ice cold, but he sunk a pair of clutch free throws with 30.3 second to play, which extended Denver’s lead to four. Denver came up with a stop on Portland’s ensuing possession when Gary Harris forced Damian Lillard into a tough floater. The shot rimmed up, and Paul Millsap came up with it.

The Nuggets, who have depended so heavily on their offense over the last two seasons, are finally figuring out a way to win on nights they don’t shoot the ball well. A postseason berth is theirs for the taking because of it.