Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers: Chronicles of a Northwest Hardwood Rivalry

When Do the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets Play Next?

Portland Trail Blazers tickets and Denver Nuggets tickets can be found on their respective team pages, along with schedule information.

Are the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets Rivals?

The Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets have been battling for Western Conference supremacy since 1976. The Trail Blazers-Nuggets rivalry is a deep one that has featured legendary players, championships, and some quality playoff matchups. The Nuggets’ first-ever postseason appearance came against the Blazers and the rivalry has been building ever since.

Who are the Portland Trail Blazers’ Biggest Rivals?

The Trail Blazers’ biggest rival is the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s hard not to consider a team your biggest rival when you’re faced off in 12 playoff series against them. Los Angeles has won 10 of the 12 series, including each of the last six. The Seattle SuperSonics were the true rival for the Portland Trail Blazers, as the I-5 rivalry was a contentious one. But that ended when the Seattle franchise moved to Oklahoma City.

Who are the Denver Nuggets’ Biggest Rivals?

The Utah Jazz are the Denver Nuggets’ biggest rivals. These teams have been battling for Mountain Time Zone bragging rights for nearly 50 years. They have faced off five times in the postseason with Utah winning three of the series. The Nuggets also have a rivalry with the San Antonio Spurs, thanks to heated contests across seven postseason series.

Game Results Between the Nuggets & Trail Blazers

The Nuggets and Trail Blazers have yet to face each other in the 2023-2024 season. Denver will host back-to-back games on February 2 and 4 between the two teams. The other Trail Blazers Nuggets games will take place in Portland on February 23 and March 23.

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets History

The Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets have played competitive games for many years. The all-time series stands at 113 wins for Portland and 105 wins for Denver. The two teams have been in the same division since 2004 and have finished 1-2 in the division race twice. Since 2004, Portland has won two Northwest Division titles and Denver has won six. But the earliest postseason battle in Trail Blazers vs Nuggets history came back in 1977. Denver was in its first season in the NBA, having come over from the ABA. It finished second in the standings and Portland finished in third. Portland topped Denver in the Western Conference Semifinals en route to its only NBA championship.

The teams met again in the playoffs in 1986 and Denver got revenge, taking a first-round series in four games. The rivalry picked up again in 2019, as Portland edged Denver in seven games in the conference semifinals. Denver repaid the favor in 2021 with a six-game first-round series win. The Trail Blazers began to rebuild after that series, while the Nuggets went on to win the NBA title in 2023. The Nuggets are continuing to challenge for a top seed in the Western Conference while Portland is looking to revamp its team, as it traded star Damian Lillard before this season for multiple players and draft picks.

Where Do the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers Play?

The Denver Nuggets play at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Ball Arena is the home to two recent championship-winning franchises, as it hosts the Colorado Avalanche as well.

The Portland Trail Blazers play at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. It is a popular event venue in Portland that opened in 1995.