Nuggets Shine To Outclass NBA-Best Toronto Raptors
17th December 2018
Denver improved to 20-9 on the season by going on a 23-2 run after falling behind 70-57 in the third quarter
- Jamal Murray scored 15 points of his 19 points in the final quarter as the shorthanded Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Toronto Raptors 95-86
- Nikola Jokic tallied 26 points for the Nuggets, who posted their 10th win in 12 games and maintain a slim lead over Golden State in the Western Conference
- Kawhi Leonard had 29 points and 14 rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leading Raptors
LOS ANGELES, United
States- Jamal Murray scored 15 points of his 19 points in the final quarter
as the shorthanded Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Toronto Raptors 95-86
Sunday in a battle between the league's East and West conference leaders.
Nikola Jokic tallied 26 points for the Nuggets, who posted
their 10th win in 12 games and maintain a slim lead over Golden State in the
Western Conference.
"I guess maybe it says we're the best team for the time
being," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. "There are a lot of games
left. I think one thing we've done a really good job of is tempering our own
excitement."
Denver improved to 20-9 on the season by going on a 23-2 run
after falling behind 70-57 in the third quarter.
This marks the latest the Nuggets have been in first place
in the West since December 1984.
Kawhi Leonard had 29 points and 14 rebounds for the
Eastern Conference-leading Raptors.
Toronto won two of four games on their recent road trip and
still have the NBA best record of 23-9.
The Nuggets didn't have Will Barton (right hip
surgery), Gary Harris (hip) and Paul Millsap (big toe) in
the lineup.
The Raptors were also missing several players including Kyle
Lowry (thigh injury) and Jonas Valanciunas (thumb).
Elsewhere, Ben Simmons delivered his third triple-double of
the season and Jimmy Butler returned from an injury to score 19 points as the
Philadelphia 76ers rolled over the Cleveland Cavaliers 128-105.
Simmons finished with 22 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds
and Joel Embiid tallied 24 as the Sixers rallied from a second quarter deficit
to lead 65-58 at the half.
"Ben is doing what he always does for us, passing the
ball," Butler said. "When he's playing like that, the game is really
easy for everybody."
Game-deciding run
Philadelphia had lost both games without Butler, who injured
his groin in the first quarter Monday against Detroit. Philadelphia won that
game, but then followed up by losing to Brooklyn and Indiana.
"Having Jimmy back helped because we had multiple guys
that could put it away," Simmons said. "I just do what I can
offensively and help find guys who are scoring. Numbers are numbers. Obviously,
stat-wise, it looks good."
Landry Shamet added 16 points for Philadelphia, J.J. Redick
had 14 points and Wilson Chandler 11.
Cedi Osman and Jordan Clarkson each scored 18 points for
Cleveland. Rodney Hood and Matthew Dellavedova each had 13 points, and rookie
point guard Collin Sexton added 12.
The Cavaliers led 44-34 early in the second quarter, but
Philadelphia ended the first half on a 31-14 run.
Cleveland went on a 12-0 run in the third quarter to cut the
Sixers lead to 86-85.
But that is as close as they would get as Wilson Chandler's
three pointer as time ran out in the third helped spark a game-deciding run
that stretched into the fourth by Philadelphia.
Also, John Wall was at his attacking best as the
Washington Wizards easily rolled over the Los Angeles Lakers 128-110.
While Wall finished with 40 points and 14 assists, Lakers
star LeBron James could only muster a season-low 13 points on dismal
five-of-16 shooting.
"We're a team that's built on energy and depth,"
four-time league MVP James said. "We didn't have either tonight."
A day after he and Lonzo Ball each registered a
triple-double in a win at Charlotte, James had six rebounds and three assists
and sat out the fourth quarter.
Recently acquired forward Sam Dekker scored a
season-high 20 for Washington, including a buzzer-beating shot at the end of
the third quarter that put the Wizards up 99-76.