April 30 (UPI) -- The Denver Nuggets used a 37-point effort from center Nikola Jokic to defeat Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers in Monday night's Game 1 at the Pepsi Center.
The Nuggets, recently removed from beating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 for their first playoff series win since 2009, earned a 121-113 win over the rested Trail Blazers, who cruised by the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games during the first round.