The Denver Nuggets secured their 17th win of the season with a 141–128 win over the Washington Wizards at the Ball Arena.
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic led both teams in scoring with his first 40-point or more game this season, ending with a double-double of 43 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists.
Former Nuggets players Will Barton (22 points) and Monte Morris (20 points) started the game brightly, keeping the Wizards within striking distance with a combined seven 3s in the first two quarters. They both ended the game with a combined 42 points, while Kyle Kuzma added 24 points for the undermanned Wizards riddled with injuries to key players.
However, the Nuggets had five other players in double digits, as Aaron Gordon and Bones Hyland finished with 22 and 23 points respectively, to secure a comfortable win and sit third in the Western Conference standings.
At the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana, the Golden State Warriors lost to the Indiana Pacers 125–119.
Tyrese Halliburton’s team-high 29 points secured the win for the Pacers, while two-time MVP Stephen Curry led both teams in scoring with a game-high 38 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.
The 34-year-old was perfect from the free throw line with eleven of eleven and shot 5 of 10 from beyond the 3-point arc before departing the game late in the third quarter with what looked like a left shoulder injury.
Rookie Bennedict Mathurin had his 12th 20-point or more game with 24 points off the bench, while Jordan Poole finished with 20 points in the Warriors’ back-to-back losses after yesterday’s defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 2022 NBA champions currently occupy the last play-in spot in the Western Conference with their 15th loss of the season.
Elsewhere, Orlando Magic secured a 135-124 win over Atlanta Hawks at the Amway Center with Franz Wagner registering a team-high 24 points while Sudanese-born Bol Bol scored 21 points to secure the fourth straight victory for the Magic.
De’Andre Hunter led the Hawks in scoring with 25 points, while All-Star guard Trae Young finished the game with a double-double of 19 points and 16 assists.
The Detroit Pistons snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the Charlotte Hornets 141-134 at the Spectrum Center, thanks to a season-high 27 points from substitute Alec Burks and 25 points from French-American guard Killian Hayes.
The return of LaMelo Ball was insufficient to inspire the Hornets to their first victory in six games. Ball, who has been out with an ankle injury since November, finished the game with a double-double of 23 points and 11 assists.
Kelly Oubre led the game with his 28 points, while Terry Rozier added 25 points as the Hornets slipped to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
In other results,
Chicago Bulls 128–120 New York Knicks
Sacramento Kings 124-123 Toronto Raptors
Portland Trailblazers 128–112 San Antonio Spurs.
Miami Heat secured 110-108 Oklahoma City Thunder
Cleveland Cavaliers 105-90 Dallas Mavericks
Los Angeles Clippers 99-88 Minnesota Timberwolves
