Nuggets 122-110 Grizzlies (Nov 19, 2024) Game Summary

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — — Jamal Murray scored 27 points, Michael Porter Jr. added 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Denver Nuggets snapped a two-game losing streak and defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 122-110 in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday night.

Christian Braun finished with 19 points, while Russell Westbrook added 12 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.

Santi Aldama led Memphis with 28 points, matching his career high. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 19 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 16 points.

It was the second match in a row between the two teams. Memphis defeated Denver 105-90 on Sunday. The Nuggets had lost two straight, the skid coinciding with the absence of reigning MVP Nikola Jokic who missed his third game in a row Tuesday for personal reasons.

Takeaways

Nuggets: After Sunday’s loss to the Grizzlies, Denver coach Michael Malone urged his team to play more physically. Denver started the game with a lot more fire Tuesday, forcing Memphis turnovers with more aggressive defense.

Grizzlies: Memphis is one of the worst teams in the league at protecting the ball, committing 16.6 turnovers a game. The Grizzlies already had 14 in the first half, leading to 16 Denver points and a double-digit Nuggets halftime lead.

Key moment

Memphis already trailed 68-57 at halftime, and Denver opened the second half, outscoring Memphis 15-1 to take the lead to 83-58, enough of a buffer to withstand Memphis’ rally in the fourth.

Key state

Denver didn’t shoot well in Sunday’s loss to Memphis, connecting on 41.7%. In Tuesday’s win, the percentage was much better at 48.5%. The Nuggets are now 8-0 when shooting better than 45%. Meanwhile, Memphis is winless in NBA Cup games 0-6 over the last two seasons.

Next

The Nuggets return home to face Dallas on Friday. The Grizzlies host Philadelphia on Wednesday.

——

AP NBA: