National Basketball Association
Denver 126, Dallas 118
When: 9:00 PM ET, Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Officials: #71 Rodney Mott, #34 Kevin Cutler, #5 Kane Fitzgerald
Attendance: 15764

Jamal Murray had 22 points, including a big 3-pointer late, and also added a career-high 15 assists, and the host Denver Nuggets beat the Dallas Mavericks 126-118 on Tuesday night.

Nikola Jokic scored a game-high 32 points and also had 16 rebounds to help Denver sweep a four-game homestand and stay atop the Western Conference standings.

Trey Lyles and Monte Morris scored 16 points each off the bench for the Nuggets. Denver has won 11 of its last 13, and its 21-9 record ties the best start in franchise history.

Harrison Barnes tied a season high with 30 points, and rookie sensation Luka Doncic had 23 points and 12 assists for the Mavericks, who have lost three straight. DeAndre Jordan had 11 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

The Mavericks trailed by six midway through the third quarter but responded with a 14-4 run to take a 95-91 lead. Denver scored the last 14 of the period to lead 105-95 heading into the fourth.

Dallas started chipping away and got within 107-104 on a Jordan dunk, but J.J. Barea missed a 3-pointer that would have tied it. It was the last chance the Mavericks had to make it close.

Three free throws and a 3-pointer by Morris fueled an 8-2 run that gave Denver a 115-106 lead. Barnes hit three straight layups, but the Nuggets answered with a 17-footer by Murray and two baskets by Morris.

Murray‘s 3-pointer made it 124-114 with 1:19 left.

The teams combined for 143 points in a hot-shooting first half. Both teams shot better than 55 percent from the field and were also deadly from long range. Denver was 9 of 18 and Dallas 10 of 16 from 3-point range.

Denver shot 55.6 percent for the game, but Dallas cooled off in the second half and hit just 46.5 percent on the night.

Murray, whose previous high for assists was 10, had 13 in the first 24 minutes to help the Nuggets lead 74-69.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Dallas   Denver
Harrison Barnes 30 Scoring Nikola Jokic 32
Luka Doncic 12 Assists Jamal Murray 15
DeAndre Jordan 12 Rebounds Nikola Jokic 16
Luka Doncic 10 Free Throws Made Juancho Hernangomez 5
DeAndre Jordan 2 Steals Nikola Jokic 3
Harrison Barnes 1 Blocks Juancho Hernangomez 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Dallas 118 46.5 15-37 23-30 26 33 1 8 8
Denver 126 55.6 12-29 14-18 33 47 3 7 16
Upcoming Games
  • Denver will play their next game on the road against L.A. Clippers. The Nuggets have a W/L % of .810 after a win and .444 after a loss.
  • Dallas will play their next game on the road against L.A. Clippers. The Mavericks have a W/L % of .600 after a win and .429 after a loss.