The Nuggets began a 13-day road trip in Orlando, where they faced off with a tattered Magic roster. It was another clash of shorthanded squads, with the Nuggets missing three starters (Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, and Cam Johnson), and the Magic missing two (Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs).
With the Nuggets coming off a shorthanded, overtime win on Christmas, the possibility of a trap game loomed large. The Nuggets played with energy in the first half, opening up a double-digit lead. But it slipped through their fingers in the second half.
Orlando erased a 17-point deficit and stole one from Denver.
Final Score: 127-126
Anthony Black and Jamal Murray Go Toe-to-Toe
Black came out firing in Orlando, drilling three 3-pointers and scoring 13 points in his first five and a half minutes on the floor. Black, averaging 14.4 points per game this season, was only shooting 33% from deep entering the game. The Nuggets left him open, and he got hot.
Thankfully, Murray came ready to play. He responded with a flurry of his own, scoring 12 points in his first stint. He knocked down a pair from deep, where he’s been scorching hot to end the calendar year. He also looked shifty and crafty on his way to the rim, just as he has all season long.
Black would get the last laugh, though, finishing with 38 points. Meanwhile, Murray missed the potential game-winning shot.
Murray and Nikola Jokić Dominate the First Half
Murray and Jokić are playing together like it’s the 2023 playoffs. They’re playing on another level right now, and they dominated in Orlando.
Murray’s 16 points made him the co-leading scorer in the game, matching Black’s production. Meanwhile, Jokić moved slowly, steadily, and inevitably towards another triple-double, like a freighter in open water. He finished the half with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists, while posting a plus/minus of +21 in 17:43 on the floor.
Denver’s second unit struggled in their opening stint, but the starters, running on star power, cruised in their minutes, and the Nuggets took a double-digit lead into halftime.
Jokić Goes Notches Another 30-20-10 Game
Jokić posted 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 12 assists in the win. It’s the 11th time that Jokić has done that in his career — playoffs and regular season combined.
Jokić went on a tear in the second half, but it wasn’t enough.
Nuggets Squander Big Lead
The Magic engineered a furious comeback at the end of the third quarter and the top of the fourth. The Nuggets clung on for dear life while 15 rested on the bench, Jonas Valanciunas struggled mightily, and their issues in the clutch persisted. Denver’s made a bad habit of losing big leads, and it cost them the first game of their extended road trip.
