Jamal Murray’s sharpshooting and Nikola Jokic’s playmaking propelled the Denver Nuggets to a commanding 131-114 victory over the Detroit Pistons during Sunday night’s NBA action.
Murray rebounded from a lackluster performance against Orlando with a season-best 37 points, sinking 14 of 24 field goals and hitting six free throws. Nuggets coach Michael Malone remarked about Murray’s performance.
“His energy and his will to win really is infectious,” Malone said. “When he sees that ball go in, he’s really unguardable.”
While Jokic played more of a facilitator role, he registered a mere four points but dished out 16 assists and tied his career-high with five blocked shots. He could have surpassed his career-best 18 assists but sat out the fourth quarter with the Nuggets comfortably ahead.
“Unusual stat line,” Murray said.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons Updates
The Pistons’ road woes continued, marking their 18th consecutive defeat away from home, dropping their away record to 1-19. Detroit’s Jalen Duren led his team with 20 points, and Alec Burks added 18. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham exited the game in the second quarter with a knee strain.
“We lost. We lost by a lot. So, I’d be lying if I said I was happy about anything that happened in the game,” Duren said. “He still affected the game and did a lot for his team.”
The game, which Denver controlled throughout, saw a notable third-quarter performance from the Nuggets. They outscored the Pistons 43-28, deviating from their recent pattern of third-quarter struggles. Murray’s emphasis on defensive intensity at halftime resonated with his team.
“We just wanted to hold ourselves accountable,” Murray said. “I thought we did a good job coming ready to play knowing this team, they’re trying to win.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons Updates
Peyton Watson also contributed significantly, especially after a physical altercation led to increased energy and focus from him. He scored 13 of his 15 points in the third quarter, lifting the Nuggets.
“The energy I needed. I fed off of it,” Watson said. “It definitely knocked some energy into me. I’m glad I was able to go upward from there.”
Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 18 points each for Denver, which improved its record to 18-0 against teams with a losing record. The Pistons, conversely, fell to 0-19 against teams with winning records. This loss adds to Detroit’s recent difficulties following the end of their record-tying 28-game losing streak against Toronto on Dec. 30.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons Updates
Looking ahead, the Pistons are set to begin a three-game homestand against the Sacramento Kings, while the Nuggets will face the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
