Jamal Murray, the linchpin of the Denver Nuggets, relishes the fact that his team can summon their championship prowess when the pressure is on.
However, he is not a fan of having to rely on that resilience so frequently.
"I think we should just come out a bit sharper from the get-go, not constantly needing to shift into overdrive," Murray asserted following the Nuggets' comeback victory over the spirited but undermanned Portland Trail Blazers, clinching a 112-103 win on Sunday night.
The reigning NBA champs found themselves trailing by 14 in the first half, only seizing the lead with their final shot of the third quarter.
"I think we just need to be a tad more conscious, more aware of the challenge each night, knowing we're going to face their best effort," said Murray. "We can bring our A-game right from the start."
Nikola Jokic spearheaded Denver's charge with 29 points, while Murray notched 21 points in a stellar 10-to-1 assist-to-turnover performance.
The youthful duo of Christian Braun and Peyton Watson injected dynamism down the stretch, securing the Nuggets their second win over division rivals in just 48 hours.
In addition to Watson, four other players hit double figures, propelling Denver's home record to an impressive 21-4.
The Nuggets had narrowly avoided trailing by more than a basket in their previous 120-108 triumph over Portland on Friday night at Ball Arena. Still, they didn't seize control until the waning moments of the third quarter, with Jokic's finger-roll layup breaking an 84-84 tie.
Despite Deandre Ayton's 27 points and Anfernee Simons' 26 for the Blazers, the home crowd was subdued for most of the night. The Blazers were up 84-75 with 4:17 left in the third quarter when Matisse Thybulle missed the second of two free throws.
The Blazers did not score again until Kris Murray's goaltending basket with 10:44 remaining, cutting Denver's lead to 91-86. During that crucial stretch, the Blazers misfired on nine shots, including six from beyond the arc, while the Nuggets capitalized with a game-changing 16-0 run.
"Our defense improved as the game progressed," noted Nuggets coach Michael Malone. "We went from having zero defense to a bit, and then a lot more. Ultimately, we had great defense."
Despite faltering in the closing minutes, the Blazers remained upbeat about their performance.
"I thought we played well for the majority of the game, to be honest with you," said Simons. "They’re a good team. They made runs. They’re a championship team. They’re a veteran team. We rolled out with a lot of young guys, and sometimes that’s just what happens. So, I’m just glad that we stuck with it and continued to play hard. Overall, I’m pretty happy about how we played today."
In the second half, the Blazers managed just one 3-pointer in 13 attempts after knocking down 10 before halftime.
Murray and Thybulle earned starting spots due to Jerami Grant's absence for the second consecutive game with lower back tightness and Malcolm Brogdon's continued sidelining due to a sore knee.
Reserve Scott Henderson, who celebrated his 20th birthday on Saturday, added 14 points in the rematch after scoring 30 against the Nuggets. Over the weekend, Portland coach Chauncey Billups sent him a congratulatory text.
"I said, ‘Scoot, there aren’t many guys in the entire world that can say they scored 30 points on the world champions as a teenager,'" Billups recalled. "But you're not a teenager anymore. Let's see what you're going to do in your 20s."
