Christian Braun returned to action and the starting lineup in Detroit, where the Nuggets played the Pistons, owners of the second-best record in the league, for the second time in eight days.

The Pistons owned the first half, and the Nuggets left themselves no room for error after halftime. They made a furious run and nearly stole the game, but their lifeless first half was too much to overcome.

Final score: 124-121

Jalen Duren Physical With Jokić

Duren used his strength and athleticism to make life difficult for Jokić. He was unafraid to foul, the refs were unwilling to blow the whistle, and Jokić lost his focus, battling the referees rather than the opponent.

Nuggets Can’t Buy a Three in First Half

The Nuggets have the best three-point percentage in basketball, shooting just under 40% on the season. Denver let 17 three-pointers fly in the first half, and only made four of them. They missed several timely shots that could have cut into the lead and flipped the momentum. Meanwhile, Detroit nearly doubled Denver’s production on the interior, outscoring Denver 34-18 in the paint.

Nuggets Fall Apart Right Before Halftime

After Bruce Brown converted an and-one at the free throw line, the Nuggets only trailed by 9 with about three minutes remaining in the second. Then they got a stop, secured the rebound, and pushed the floor with a chance to cut the lead down to at least seven. But they would not score again in the first half. Detroit pushed the lead up to 19 in the blink of an eye, effectively ending the game.

Nuggets Struggle in Transition

Much like the Thunder game, the Nuggets struggled convert in transition after their timely stops. The Pistons outscored them 26-9 in fast break points — a 17-point discrepancy in a game that came down to the wire.