The Nuggets had a golden opportunity to start their seven-game post-Christmas road trip with a big win in Orlando, but they blew an 11-point fourth quarter lead, falling 1127-126. Denver controlled the game, leading by as many as 17 points after halftime, but they couldn’t put the Magic away and were undone in the final seconds.
One of the biggest and most annoying issues down the stretch was that the Nuggets couldn’t keep the Magic off the free throw line. Orlando was 14-15 from the stripe in the final frame, including 9-9 from Desmond Bane alone.
Four of those free throws came in the final minute of the game as Bane drew multiple fouls, driving past his man and throwing up wild off-balance shots. Each time, he was rewarded with the whistle, and he made all four free throws, including the game-winner with six seconds left on the clock.
Denver’s defense was solid in the first half, holding the Magic to 48 points before recess. But they fell apart after the break, giving up 36 in the third quarter and 43 in the final 12 minutes. It was a brutal outcome for a game that the Nuggets should have won, and really could have used.
Jokic and Murray continue stellar play
The Nuggets’ stars were brilliant again in the losing effort on Saturday night. Jokic went for 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 12 assists, good for his 16th triple-double in 31 games. He also came up clutch, hitting what would have been the game-winning free throws with 11 seconds on the clock.
Murray also poured in 24 points with 5 rebounds and 3 assists. But these guys are overtaxed and had to work hard all night, limping to the finish line. The Nuggets are really starting to miss their injured starters, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cam Johnson.
Other guys stepped up and had nice games, but the rotation is shorter, the rests are shorter, and the end result is a team that looked tired in the second half and wasn’t able to get stops in the biggest moments to put the game away.
Luckily, it sounds like help is finally on the way. Prior to the game, David Adelman stated that Braun and AG could both return by the end of this road trip, which will be January 7th in Boston. Hopefully, that proves to be true, as it would be a much-needed boost for the entire team.
They’ve been doing a great job of winning games while shorthanded, and now, they need to hold the fort for at least a little bit longer.