McCollum drops 32 as Blazers top sliding Nuggets

CJ McCollum scored 32 points and the Portland Trail Blazers gave the drained Denver Nuggets their fifth consecutive misfortune, 119-100 on Tuesday night. Damian Lillard had 25 points and five assists to help the Blazers to their fourth successive finish and ninth straight at home. 

After the Nuggets took a 49-48 lead with 3:35 left, Portland held onto control. The Trail Blazers released an 18-3 spray to close the primary half, started by four 3-pointers from Lillard and covered by a signal beating layup by McCollum, giving them a 64-52 lead at halftime. Later one more Nuggets player fell to injury, forward PJ Dozier fell to the floor with a left knee injury and left the court not to return again.