Jamal Murray is recovering from a hamstring complaint. His two fractured ankles are the same. Increasingly, he resembles Murray, a smooth-scoring playoff player.
On Monday night, he contributed 22 points and four of four from three-point range as the Denver Nuggets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 130-104. The Mavericks were shorthanded.
“Everything is great with me. Murray stated, “I can’t complain” about his cadence despite missing 15 games and fluctuating in and out of the lineup for the reigning NBA champions this season. “I think we’re still just trying to, not find our rhythm, but all be on the court healthy at one time.”
Aaron Gordon equaled a season high with 21 points in a contest in which the Nuggets started the fourth quarter. Nikola Jokic added eight points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. By a margin of 62-34, the Mavericks reserves were outscored by the Denver bench. Four Nuggets players recorded double figures, with Reggie Jackson having the most with 18.
“I thought our bench performed exceptionally well tonight,” said Nuggets head coach Michael Malone. “That group played the right way, building good habits.”
With 6:48 remaining in the third quarter and a 77-70 lead, the Nuggets seized the initiative with a 21-10 run to conclude the quarter, rebounding from a weekend home loss to Oklahoma City.
On December 18, 2023, Zeke Nnaji #22 of the Denver Nuggets shoots for the basket at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, against Dwight Powell #7 of the Dallas Mavericks. The game was played in Denver, Colorado. IMPORTANT NOTE TO USERS: User acknowledges explicitly Expand
Despite feeling under the weather, Luka Doncic recorded 38 points and 11 rebounds and remarked, “They were playing exceptionally well.” Others, however, performed admirably for their team. They simply were exchanging the object. They had numerous open opportunities at the time. “They performed exceptionally well in the game.”
Without much thought, Denver’s strategy against the Mavericks was to maintain a fast tempo. As a team, the Nuggets dominated fast-break points, 32-11.
Murray, who posted a playoff average of 26.1 points a year ago, elaborated, “We simply felt like we could run [out there], particularly at home and at altitude.” “We did a good job of trying to keep them off-balance.”
In the second quarter, Doncic tallied 22 points to keep Dallas in the game. In addition, he grabbed eleven rebounds. Dereck Lively II (ankle), Kyrie Irving (heel), and Josh Green (elbow) were all absent for the Mavericks.
“Atttaining stops and failing to score is not a recipe for victory,” said Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. “We have to be better.”
Tim Hardaway Jr. surpassed his father, Tim Hardaway Sr., for the 44th spot on the league’s career 3-pointers tally with two three-pointers.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored nine points in his return to action following a two-game absence due to a concussion protocol. Additionally, he assisted in diffusing Doncic’s 3 of 8 in the second half. Doncic finished the first half 10-of-16.
Markieff Morris and Jokic were pitted against one another on the court for the first time since their altercation on November 8, 2021. At half court during that contest, Morris, who was with the Miami Heat at the time, elbowed Jokic in the midsection. In retaliation, Jokic struck Morris to the ground with a powerful upper arm/shoulder thrust from behind. In the end, Morris missed four months as a result of whiplash. Jokic received a suspension of one game.
