Trail Blazers 89 - 97 Nuggets
Final
  for this game

Trail Blazers, Nuggets face off vying for Northwest supremacy

Dec 22, 2008 - 3:21 PM Portland (17-10) at Denver (17-10), 9:00pm EST

DENVER (Ticker) -- As they get set to square off for their first head-to-head meeting of the season, the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets are tied atop the Northwest Division - with two-time defending division champ Utah lurking just one game behind.

One of the two will have the upper hand after Monday night, as the Nuggets host the Trail Blazers in hopes of snapping a three-game skid. The game is the front end of a home-and-home series that will conclude Tuesday night in Portland.

Both teams are coming off meetings with the Phoenix Suns over the weekend, but they came away with opposite results. On Thursday, the Blazers got a star-making performance from Brandon Roy, as the third-year guard erupted for a career-high 52 points en route to a 124-119 triumph.

Two nights later, the Nuggets headed to Phoenix, only to see their recent struggles continue. The 1-2 punch of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups combined to hit just 9-of-29 from the floor and Billups - who has brought some stability to the Denver offense since being acquired from Detroit last month - committed seven turnovers as the Nuggets fell, 108-101.

Prior to that, they suffered double-digit defeats to the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers. Defense has been an issue, as Denver has allowed at least 105 points in five of their last six games.

Recent history, however, is on its side. The Nuggets have won 12 of their last 15 meetings with the Blazers.






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