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  3. article_body => "<p>As the Trail Blazers-Nuggets First Round series shifted to Portland, the Blazers didn\u2019t look like themselves from three.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Portland finished the game 14-of-45 from deep after uncharacteristic three-point shooting nights from Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The Nuggets, on the other hand, caught fire from behind the arc, especially to close out the game thanks to Austin River\u2019s clutch threes. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>But what was also noticeably different in the last five minutes of the contest was: <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The Blazers were without their starting center. &nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>[<a href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/talkin-blazers-frye\"><strong><span><span>Subscribe to the Talkin' Blazers Podcast<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/a><strong><span><span>]<\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u2028<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-url data-embed-button=\"url\" data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/talkin-blazers-frye\/episodes\/d5f26dd7-c775-492e-9002-83b2492e0a9b\" data-entity-label=\"Embed social\" data-timestamp=\"1622188839\" data-url-provider=\"ART19\"><\/drupal-url>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Jusuf Nurkic was charged with his sixth and final foul with 5:17&nbsp;remaining in the game.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>While the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/northwest\/trail-blazers\/blazers-offense-cant-dig-itself-out-deep-hole-its-defense-dug\">Nuggets took&nbsp;a 2-1 series lead following Thursday night\u2019s 120-115 victory<\/a> over the Blazers, it was the second straight game that Nurkic has fouled out. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"aa36b6c1-f70a-4c38-93d8-1e21dda4beda\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI just think we need to play better basketball as a group and I feel like when we share the ball we are a pretty darn good team.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nurkic provided the spark the Blazers needed on the defensive end, especially to start the second quarter. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>But after picking up his fifth foul early in the fourth, &nbsp;the Nuggets knew they had to take it right at the big fella. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nurkic was certainly frustrated about a couple of the calls.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cWe can\u2019t just assume that we will win because we\u2019re home,\u201d Nurkic said. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"933af338-292c-470a-be1a-d474cb9de172\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>One specific foul he didn't agree with was his fifth foul where he barely got tangled up with Nikola Jokic.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cNikola is a great player, but he just grab my arm and kind of hold my hand and they give me a foul,\" Nurkic explained.&nbsp;\"I think that\u2019s unacceptable in the playoffs.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The eight-year veteran finished with 13&nbsp;points, 13&nbsp;rebounds, and six&nbsp;assists.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nurkic even suggested that the NBA go the route of having four officials on the court. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>But what it comes down to is keeping Nurkic on the floor.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>And both Damian Lillard and the Nuggets know just that. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cTheir best player is their 5, that is an important match up in this series,\u201d Lillard said. \u201cWe need [Nurk] on the floor for his versatility defensively \u2013 to have that big body that can move around with Jokic and be on the block with Jokic. It is an issue for us that Nurk can solve. Obviously, Jokic is going to do what he does, but Nurkic is our best matchup for him. So we need him to be on the floor. We need him to be playing confident and in a good space.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nuggets head coach Michael Malone agreed. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"pull_quote\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:paragraph.preview\" data-entity-type=\"paragraph\" data-entity-uuid=\"d454dfcb-7869-416f-855f-f9d039ef9fa9\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cNurk\u2019s a load. He\u2019s a good basketball player. He facilitates for them on offense. Dame, CJ and him have a great synergy on the court. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cDefensively, he\u2019s a presence. So getting him into foul trouble has definitely been to our advantage.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nurkic and the Blazers will have a quick turnaround to figure out adjustments for Game 4 with Saturday's contest tipping off at 1p.m. PT.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n"
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  21. description => "\"It\u2019s my fault for getting in foul trouble, but at the same time, I\u2019m looking at the fouls and I can\u2019t agree on all of those,\" Nurkic said postgame."
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Trail Blazers

/ by Jamie Hudson
Trail Blazers

Jamie Hudson

As the Trail Blazers-Nuggets First Round series shifted to Portland, the Blazers didn’t look like themselves from three.

Portland finished the game 14-of-45 from deep after uncharacteristic three-point shooting nights from Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.  

The Nuggets, on the other hand, caught fire from behind the arc, especially to close out the game thanks to Austin River’s clutch threes.

But what was also noticeably different in the last five minutes of the contest was:

The Blazers were without their starting center.  

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Jusuf Nurkic was charged with his sixth and final foul with 5:17 remaining in the game. 

 

While the Nuggets took a 2-1 series lead following Thursday night’s 120-115 victory over the Blazers, it was the second straight game that Nurkic has fouled out.

Obviously, I know how much I need to stay on the court for my team.

Jusuf Nurkic said postgame

“I just think we need to play better basketball as a group and I feel like when we share the ball we are a pretty darn good team.”

Nurkic provided the spark the Blazers needed on the defensive end, especially to start the second quarter.

But after picking up his fifth foul early in the fourth,  the Nuggets knew they had to take it right at the big fella.

Nurkic was certainly frustrated about a couple of the calls. 

“We can’t just assume that we will win because we’re home,” Nurkic said.

It’s my fault for getting in foul trouble, but at the same time, I’m looking at the fouls and I can’t agree on all of those.

Jusuf Nurkic

One specific foul he didn't agree with was his fifth foul where he barely got tangled up with Nikola Jokic. 

“Nikola is a great player, but he just grab my arm and kind of hold my hand and they give me a foul," Nurkic explained. "I think that’s unacceptable in the playoffs.”

The eight-year veteran finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists. 

Nurkic even suggested that the NBA go the route of having four officials on the court.

But what it comes down to is keeping Nurkic on the floor. 

And both Damian Lillard and the Nuggets know just that.

“Their best player is their 5, that is an important match up in this series,” Lillard said. “We need [Nurk] on the floor for his versatility defensively – to have that big body that can move around with Jokic and be on the block with Jokic. It is an issue for us that Nurk can solve. Obviously, Jokic is going to do what he does, but Nurkic is our best matchup for him. So we need him to be on the floor. We need him to be playing confident and in a good space.”

 

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone agreed.

Nurk is a really big part of what that team does on both offense and defense and to get him into foul trouble that he’s gotten in, in these last few games and having him out towards the end of the game was really important.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone

“Nurk’s a load. He’s a good basketball player. He facilitates for them on offense. Dame, CJ and him have a great synergy on the court.

“Defensively, he’s a presence. So getting him into foul trouble has definitely been to our advantage.” 

Nurkic and the Blazers will have a quick turnaround to figure out adjustments for Game 4 with Saturday's contest tipping off at 1p.m. PT.