Torch SONGS

Jackie MacMullan

April 26, 1999

NUGGETS AT TRAIL BLAZERSMonday, April 26Since it opened in 1995, Portland's Rose Garden has been a bed of thorns for the Nuggets. Denver has lost seven games by an average of 27.6 points at the high-tech, fan-friendly palace. Among the Blazers' blowout victories was a 105-65 pummeling in November '96 and a 107-63 rout in April '97. By those standards, Portland's 100-85 win over Denver on Feb. 17, which the Blazers led by 29 points in the third quarter, was a squeaker.