The Nuggets survived an incredible rally from the Magic to leave Orlando with a 110-99 win.
Denver entered halftime with a 24-point lead and appeared to have the game in hand against an injury-depleted Orlando team. Yet, the home team would defy the odds in the second half. The Magic opened with a 20-4 run and brought the game within five heading into the fourth quarter. Fortunately, the Nuggets would respond with a 16-7 run to ice the game in the final 12 minutes.
Nikola Jokić was incredible once again, dropping 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, to lead the Nuggets. Evan Fournier was Orlando’s top scorer with 31 points and six dimes.
Denver will resume action in just 24 hours as it travels to Tampa Bay to face the temporarily relocated Toronto Raptors (5:30 p.m. MT, ALTITUDE).
Here are the takeaways:
Big three takeover
While Jokić and Jamal Murray have a unique synergy that’s been built over five seasons, Michael Porter Jr. is still developing chemistry with the Nuggets’ two stars. The fourth quarter was a potential showcase of what happens when all three players are clicking.
The trio combined for 22 of the Nuggets’ 30 points in the final 12 minutes. Murray led the way with 10 while Porter Jr. added eight. Jokić was key in setting screens for both and added four boards and four points.
P.J. provides two-way spark
The Nuggets’ bench has struggled recently, being outscored by their reserve counterparts in the last seven games. That streak ended Tuesday night and a lot of it came from the strong play of P.J. Dozier.
The reserve guard, who is primarily known as a defensive-stopper, provided some much-needed offensive punch for Denver’s bench. Dozier did most of his damage in the second quarter, where he scored six on 60 percent shooting. Overall, he would pour in 14 points on 6 of 11 shooting and added four boards.
Dozier wasn’t the only player to shine off the bench. Facundo Campazzo might have shot 1 of 5, but had six assists and two steals. Zeke Nnaji also added six on 3 of 4 shooting.
The Nuggets put on a first-half defensive clinic, holding the Magic to just 39 points while grabbing nine steals and blocking five shots. Denver held the home team to a woeful 36.6 percent shooting overall. Paul Millsap played a big part in that showing in the first half, having two blocks and two steals.
Denver got out of the gates slowly in the third quarter and paid for it to punishing effect. The Magic shot almost 50 percent and forced seven turnovers, which they converted for seven points. The visitors were outscored 30-19 in the quarter.
Although the Magic would shoot 54.5 percent in the fourth quarter, it was the Nuggets’ efforts on the glass and renewed attention to turnovers that saw them through. Denver outrebounded Orlando 14-8 and surrendered just one turnover.