Denver suffers an upset loss to one of the league’s worst teams.
News that Nikola Jokić would miss the game against the New Orleans Pelicans due to personal reasons shocked many. And as expected, the Denver Nuggets, without the best player in the world, struggled mightily. They couldn’t even break the 100-point mark, losing 101-94.
They started well, with Dario Šarić filling in for Jokić in the starting lineup, but he couldn’t come close to matching Nikola’s impact. By the end of the first quarter, New Orleans had taken the lead, extending it to a 10-point advantage, and controlled the game. The Nuggets attempted several rallies, but they lacked that final push. A Russell Westbrook three-pointer brought Denver within one point at 87-86, but Brandon Ingram had the answer. Ingram led all scorers with 29 points, while CJ McCollum added 19 and Trey Murphy III had 17. For the Nuggets, Michael Porter Jr. led the way with 24, Peyton Watson added 18, and Jamal Murray scored just 16.
This loss snapped Denver’s five-game winning streak and dropped them to 7-4. Without Jokic, reaching the NBA playoffs seems increasingly difficult for the Nuggets.
In another game, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Phoenix Suns, who were without Kevin Durant, by a score of 99-83. The Thunder dominated the game from start to finish, building a lead of up to 23 points in the fourth quarter. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 28 points, Lu Dort added 15, and Jalen Williams had 14. For the Suns, Josh Okogie was their leading scorer with 15, while Devin Booker struggled, scoring just 12 points on 2-of-10 shooting.
Izvor: Mozzarsport Photo: Printscreen Instagram @nuggets
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