Jamal Murray came back from a first-quarter ankle sprain to score 29 points and lead the visiting Denver Nuggets to a 129-122 win over the Atlanta Hawks and end Denver’s three-game losing streak.
Murray had to leave the game midway in the first quarter after stepping on teammate Nikola Jokic’s foot and twisting his left ankle. Murray returned in the second quarter and finished the game 12-for-15 from the floor, 4-for-5 on 3s with nine rebounds. It was his third straight game of scoring at least 20 points since returning from a right ankle injury.
Jokic regained his shooting touch and scored 25 points, with eight rebounds and eight assists. Jokic had shot just 31 percent (18-for-58) over the two previous games but was 9-for-13 against Atlanta. Julian Strawther scored 22 points and Aaron Gordon added 18 points and 12 rebounds.
The Hawks have lost a season-high four straight and have dropped six of their last seven games. Bogdan Bogdanovic led Atlanta with a career-high 40 points, including 10 3-pointers. Dejounte Murray scored 21 points and Trae Young scored 19 points with nine assists before being ejected with 25 seconds left in the third quarter.
Atlanta was without Jalen Johnson, who missed his seventh straight game with a left wrist fracture, and De’Andre Hunter, who sat out with right quad soreness.
Atlanta took a 36-28 lead after the first quarter thanks to shooting 61.9 percent from the floor.
The Nuggets got back in the game on the strength of Strawther’s 3-point shooting. He was 5-for-7 from distance and scored 19 in the first half. It helped Denver erase an 11-point deficit and take a 65-62 lead at halftime.
Denver blew the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Atlanta 38-24 to take a 103-86 lead. The quarter ended in a flurry of technical fouls, one assessed to Atlanta coach Quin Snyder and two to Young, who was ejected.
The Nuggets led by 14 points with 3:39 left but Atlanta cut the lead to four points with 30 seconds left. Jokic ended the threat by making two free throws with 22 seconds remaining to secure the win.
–Field Level Media