Nuggets fight off resilient Raptors, end eight-game losing streak

The Nuggets brought a mentality and aggressiveness we haven’t seen often this year to Toronto tonight as they hoped to end a season long eight-game losing streak. It was something that was evident in the first half, and Denver did just enough to hold of the Raptors and come out of tonight’s contest victorious 106-105.

In the opening two quarters you could see signs this was a different Nuggets team from the one who had just dropped eight games in a row prior to tonight. Darrell Arthur scored 12 points in the midst of a 25-9 first quarter Denver lead and Emmanuel Mudiay had five first quarter dimes on his way to nine assists for the game. The Nuggets didn’t turn the ball over once and led 29-19 at the end of the first quarter.

The Nuggets lead ballooned back to 14 points after back-to-back threes from Will Barton and the lineup featuring Mudiay, Jameer Nelson, Will Barton, Mike Miller and Nikola Jokic kept the pressure on Toronto and finished tonight as a + 8 in seven minutes of court time after not playing a minute together so far this season.

Barton finished the first half with 12 points on just seven shots and went 3-6 from 3-point range, somehow raising his career-best percentage from deep. Mudiay was able to find cutters when he needed to on his way to eight first half assists and Denver was up 56-42 on Toronto after 24 minutes where they dished out 18 total assists on 22 made field goals.

It was the first time in a while since we’ve seen an opening half from the Nuggets like the one they played tonight in Toronto, but an 11-3 Raptors run immediately brought the game back to a breaking point that fortunately went the Nuggets way. The ball movement continued to be a constant and even Danilo Gallinari, who is in the midst of one of the worst shooting slumps of his career, poured in 11 points in the third quarter, nine of which came by the way of the three ball.

Michael Malone went back to a  similar small-ball lineup in the fourth, but got much different results. The Raptors pulled to within six at 83-77, after a Mudiay turnover and Raptors run out, but the Nuggets responded with a Miller three and subsequent Lauvergne put-back. From there, the pace seemed to slow, seemingly playing to the Raptors advantage and Toronto drew to within two after three turnovers on five Denver possessions from Nelson, Barton and Randy Foye.

The two teams exchanged blows and it was a parade to the foul line in the final few minutes. Michael Malone went with Nelson, Foye, Barton, Gallinari and Arthur to close the game, leaving Mudiay on the bench, something Malone has done scarcely at the end of games this year.

Just when you thought Denver was in the clear, Danilo Gallinari committed the cardinal sin and fouled Kyle Lowry on a 3-point attempt with the Nuggets up 102-96 and 35 seconds left. Lowry went on to hit just one of three, but a no-call on a Bismack Biyombo over-the-back foul wasn’t made, allowing the Raptors to keep possession and convert. From there, Will Barton turned the ball over on the subsequent inbounds play, almost blowing what turned out to be one of the better wins of this Nuggets season.

Denver was victorious for just the seventh time this year and their record now stands at 7-13 heading into Saturday’s matchup in Philadelphia.

WHERE/WHEN

Air Canada Center, Toronto, Canada/ Dec. 3 2015 / Game No. 20

STAR OF THE GAME

Gallinari, who before tonight was shooting a career worst, 37.7 percent from the field, but a respectable 36.1 percent from 3-point land, got the Nuggets rolling again after the game had slowed to a crawl in the middle of the third quarter and the Raptors crept back to within single digits. Gallinari exploded for three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points in the quarter on the way to a 21-point night.

BY THE NUMBERS

Denver had five different players score in double figures tonight. 22 from Barton, 21 from Gallinari, 19 from Arthur, 14 from Lauvergne and 12 points from Randy Foye.

The Nuggets shot 44 percent from 3-point land, a huge improvement from their usual struggles from deep.

Denver also shot a perfect 18-18 from the line.

QUOTE OF THE GAME

An exhausted Danilo Gallinari delivered an all-timer to Nuggets color commentator Scott Hastings postgame.

Hastings: “Do you want to take a deep breath and show all the people watching in Denver that you’re finally relaxed?”

Gallinari: “I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

WHAT’S NEXT

Denver finishes up their five-game roadie in Philadelphia Saturday night when they take on the 76ers. Jahlil Okafor, who just got handed a two-game suspension for his involvement in a street fight in Boston following Philadelphia’s game there on Nov. 25, started serving that ban against the Knicks last night and will not play versus the Nuggets.

The schedule lightens up for Denver, as they return to Pepsi Center for five of their next seven including home games against Orlando, Minnesota, Houston and New Orleans.