Jamal Murray’s 32 points carry Denver Nuggets past Brooklyn Nets in NBA
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Jamal Murray notched his first 30-point game of the season and had 10 points and three assists in the final period.
PHOTO: AFP
NEW YORK – Energy, aggression, control – those were the key traits that have helped the Denver Nuggets win four consecutive National Basketball Association (NBA) games on the road.
Jamal Murray scored a season-high 32 points to go along with five rebounds and nine assists and connected with Nikola Jokic for the go-ahead basket with 2min 28sec remaining, as the defending champions continued their impressive away form with a 122-117 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Dec 22.
“The energy we need to start the game was right,” Jokic said when asked about the approach to their road trips. “I think we had a 14-7 run (to start the game) and we kind of slowed down a little bit. But (we need to) be the aggressor. We need the one to be the one (controlling) the game.”
Jokic got his 25th double-double of the season by finishing with 31 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Aaron Gordon added 18 and Michael Porter Jr contributed 15 as the Nuggets (20-10) won for the sixth time in seven games.
Such was Jokic’s aggression that he had blood on his jersey at the end of the game from a massive gash on his arm. It was nothing serious for the two-time league Most Valuable Player but a photo of the injury went viral on social media.
Murray notched his first 30-point game of the season, with 10 points and three assists in the final period. All his assists were in the final 2:28, including the pass to Jokic for an uncontested lay-up that gave the Nuggets the lead for good at 106-105.
After he hit Peyton Watson with a lob that resulted in a dunk for a 115-110 lead with 25.5 seconds left, Denver sweated out the final seconds. A four-point play by Cam Thomas got Brooklyn within 115-114 with 19.4sec left.
With 5.9sec remaining, Nets forward Cameron Johnson went to the line and made the first free throw but his team could not get the rebound when he missed the second intentionally. Gordon and Jokic hit free throws in the final 4.3sec to ice it.
Thomas led seven players in double figures with 23 points but the Nets (13-15) lost their season-high fifth straight. Johnson added 17 while Mikal Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith contributed 14 apiece as the Nets shot 48.3 per cent.
Royce O’Neale and Day’Ron Sharpe chipped in 13 apiece, while Nic Claxton contributed 10 points and 16 rebounds.
“It’s a pretty good recipe for us,” Brooklyn coach Jacques Vaughn said about the balanced scoring despite the loss.
“I think we had 18 assists at (half-time), over 30 to finish the game; seven dudes in double figures.
“Overall, a good effort from our guys. I think we put ourselves in a position to try and win a ball game. I thought our attention for the majority of the night was in the right place.” REUTERS
