Nuggets-Mavericks Instant Reactions: Jamal Murray Captains Denver to Another Road Win

The Denver Nuggets traveled to Dallas for their second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday night. Seeking their first win in three tries against the Mavericks, the Nuggets took the floor without Nikola Jokić, Cameron Johnson, Christian Braun, and Jonas Valanciunas.

But the shorthanded Nuggets played professionally in Dallas, limiting turnovers and putting together a quality effort on defense. Denver began to pull away late in the first, and they held onto some version of that lead for the rest of the game.

The Nuggets won their 17th game on the road this season, the most in the NBA.

Final score: 118-109.

Denver plays zone

The Nuggets spent the night in zone defense, either to mitigate fatigue or because of the Mavericks’ lack of shooting — or both. Whatever the reasoning, it was highly successful. Dallas scored just 46 points in the first half, shooting 40% from the field and 12.5% from three.

Dallas cut the lead to 10 with a big push to finish the third quarter, aided by Denver’s worst stretch of turnovers. Thankfully, they couldn’t hit a three — literally. The Mavericks missed 18 consecutive threes in the loss.

Denver held Dallas to 109 points in the win, and the Mavericks shot 5-of-34 from deep.

Cooper Flagg sprains his ankle

Flagg, the Mavericks’ wunderkind, sprained his left ankle in the first half. He returned briefly before deciding it was best to miss the rest of the game.

Nuggets limit turnovers

When the Nuggets limit their turnovers, they tend to emerge victorious. Denver only turned it over twice in the first half. It played a large role in their defensive success. The zone held Dallas in check, and the Nuggets didn’t give them easy transition opportunities.

The wheels grew wobbly in the third quarter, when the Nuggets turned it over five times, aiding a run from the Mavericks to get back within striking distance.

Thankfully, the Nuggets took better care of the ball in the fourth quarter, turning it over twice. They finished with nine as a team.

Murray flurries

Murray has looked like a leader all year, including, if not especially, in the games he’s played without Jokić. Murray set the tone in Dallas with 14 points in the first quarter while shooting 5-of-7 from the field. He got to his spots with ease, and the jumper looked smooth.

After going scoreless in the second quarter, Murray scored eight more points in the third. Dallas cut into the lead while he rested, but he immediately stopped the bleeding when he checked back in. He scored five points in 21 seconds, forcing a timeout.

The Mavericks made another late push, but the Nuggets held on in the fourth quarter. Murray led all scorers with 33 points.