The Denver Nuggets staged a big comeback in the final quarter against the Mavericks deprived of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to secure a key victory in the race for the standings in the West. Westbrook and Jokic lead the charge!
Despite a difficult start to the match, the Denver Nuggets managed to secure a valuable 112-101 victory against the Dallas Mavericks thanks to a spectacular comeback in the last quarter. Without their stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavs were up to 19 points ahead. But Denver didn’t give up.
A decisive 4th quarter for Denver
While trailing 89-79 at the start of the final 12 minutes, the Nuggets completely turned the tide. A 12-0 run allowed Denver to tie the game at 91-91 in less than 3 minutes. Jamal Murray, until then discreet, went for two consecutive winning shots.
Revived, Michael Malone’s men then inflicted a terrible 33-12 on Dallas in the 4th quarter. A defensive masterclass coupled with renewed efficiency in attack. With only 7/32 at 3 points over the entire match, Denver relied on its interior game and offensive rebonds (15 in total).
The Jokic-Westbrook duo makes the difference
Despite the good performances of Spencer Dinwiddie (26 pts) and Klay Thompson (25 pts), Dallas did not have the weapons to resist the awakening of the Denver stars. One duo in particular shone:
- Nikola Jokic achieved a triple-double with 19 points, 18 rebounds and 9 assists.
- Russell Westbrook had 21 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists.
According to a source close to the Nuggets, the energy instilled by “Brodie” Westbrook in defense was decisive. His spectacular counter on Derek Lively in the final seconds definitively folded the match.
Russell brings us this intensity, this commitment that we need. When he plays like that, it transcends the whole team.
A member of the Denver staff
The Mavericks punished for their clumsiness
Weighed down by the absence of their two best scorers, the Mavs thought they had done the hard part thanks to an excellent start. But their terrible 2/19 at 3 points after the break prevented them from maintaining their cushion. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving would clearly have done good to penalize the opposing ball losses (15).
The clumsiness of Reggie Bullock (1/8 at 3 pts) and Tim Hardaway Jr (1/7) hurt Dallas. Only Klay Thompson responded at long distance with a correct 5/12. But more would have been needed, especially in the money-time.
The race for the playoffs heats up
This victory allows Denver to consolidate its 4th place in the West with 26 victories for 16 defeats. Still ahead of Dallas which now has 2 more losses (24v-18d).
The fight for the top 4 and home field advantage promises to be fierce with the LA Clippers, the Phoenix Suns and the New Orleans Pelicans as other contenders. Every match counts!
The two teams will meet again this Tuesday, still in Dallas, for a rematch that promises to be explosive. Will the Mavs take the opportunity to revive with the return of Luka Doncic? Response in a few hours!
