Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons, top, shoots a game-winning basket over Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook, center, and center Nikola Jokic (15) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Anfernee Simons made a driving layup at the buzzer to give the Portland Trail Blazers a 122-120 victory over Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.
Simons drove to his right and got past defender Russell Westbrook, lofting the ball high off the glass as the horn sounded. He finished with 28 points and 10 assists.
Shaedon Sharpe scored 27 points for the Blazers, who snapped a six-game skid. Deni Avdija added 19 points and Deandre Ayton had 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Jokic had 34 points and eight assists for Denver. Jamal Murray added 24 points and 10 assists, and Westbrook scored 19 points.
Takeaways
Nuggets: Denver struggled defensively against the NBA’s third-worst offense.
Blazers: Ayton was solid in his return after Portland's starting center missed the previous two games with an illness.
Key moment
Denver trailed by 17 points at the start of the fourth quarter but rallied to take a two-point lead on Michael Porter Jr.'s dunk with just under a minute remaining. Simons and Sharpe made two free throws each to put Portland back on top before Jokic tied it on a layup with 16.8 seconds left.
Key stat
Portland shot 46.4% to Denver's 54%, but the Blazers got to the foul line more often and made five more free throws on the night. Portland made 16 3-pointers to Denver's 15.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons, front, reacts after making a game-winning basket against the Denver Nuggets during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (17) is fouled by Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) dribbles around Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons celebrates his game-winning basket against the Denver Nuggets during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, right, shoots over Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, shoots a 3-point basket over Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
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