Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets held on for a 142-135 victory over the Dallas Mavericks after the Canadian guard torched Dallas for a season-high 53 points on 28 attempts from the floor.
Murray exploded for 33 first-half points, including 14 straight points at one point for Denver, as the Nuggets defended their home court in a crucial victory. He finished 19-for-28 from the floor, 9-for-14 from deep, and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
Jokic Nears a 20-20-20 Masterpiece as Denver’s Stars Dominate
Not only did Murray drop 53 points, but Jokic came one assist short of a 20-20-20 night with 23 points, 21 rebounds, and 19 assists.
The Serbian big man and MVP contender was able to carve apart Dallas throughout the matchup and reached 6,000 career assists with his eighth assist of the night when he fed Jamal Murray for a layup midway through the second quarter.
Murray and Jokic combined for more than half of Denver’s points and nearly two-thirds of their assists in a truly dominant night.
Dallas Pushes Back, but Denver Delivers Late
The Nuggets held the lead for most of the game, ballooning it to 13 points in the first half. Dallas managed to cut it down to 93-92 late in the third, but Denver pulled away thanks to six straight points from Jokic to lead 111-100 going into the final frame.
Dallas surged back with a flurry from Cooper Flagg to make it 127-126, but Denver executed in the clutch to emerge victorious. Denver’s defensive lapses nearly spoiled Murray and Jokic’s historic night, but their two superstars were able to overcome them with crucial buckets as time wound down.
Mavericks Show Fight as Denver Eyes the Stretch Run
Cooper Flagg led the way for Dallas with 26 points, which was eliminated from playoff contention the day before. PJ Washington posted a 19-point, 15-rebound double-double as Dallas was able to keep up with Denver on the glass.
Dallas showed plenty of fight for a team with nothing to play for, but a healthy Nuggets side proved too much to overcome. The Mavericks were responsible for the basketball on offense, only turning the ball over four times, but the difference in three-point shooting allowed Denver to hold on for the win. Denver shot 50% from behind the arc with 19 threes, while Dallas shot 34.3% with 12 triples.
Denver continues its three-game homestand with a visit from the Jazz tomorrow night, as they look to extend their win streak and strengthen their grip on a top-four seed in the West. Dallas heads to Portland for a matchup with the Timberwolves before heading back home for the weekend.
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