Murray e Jokic lideram e Nuggets vencem Warriors
DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 25: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets high fives teammates during the game against the Golden State Warriors on December 25, 2023 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Bart Young / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)
Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to a 120-114 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Murray and Jokic combined for 54 points for the home team, while Andrew Wiggins led the Warriors with 22 points. Stephen Curry had a below-average performance, scoring only 18 points.
The Nuggets started off strong in the first quarter, but the Warriors fought back and ended the quarter on a high note. Although the Nuggets had a nine-point lead at one point, the Warriors managed to cut the deficit to three points, with Denver leading 29-26. In the second period, the Warriors’ reserves took the lead. The Nuggets’ bench players struggled to produce as usual, allowing the Warriors to take a 43-37 lead after free throws by Wiggins. Michael Porter Jr. was the only one keeping the Nuggets in the game. Aaron Gordon and Jokic helped the Nuggets narrow the gap to two points, with Gordon tying the game at 46, and Murray giving the Nuggets a 49-46 lead. Jokic extended the lead to five points. Meanwhile, Curry had a disappointing performance with only one point for the Warriors. The Nuggets had a lead of seven points, but the Warriors scored eight unanswered points to take the lead. At the end of the first half, the visitors were leading 54-53.
In the second half, Jonathan Kuminga was the only one scoring for the Warriors, allowing the Nuggets to regain the lead. Curry hit a three-pointer, but Jokic and Murray kept the Nuggets ahead at 74-70. Caldwell-Pope extended the lead to 85-77. The Warriors managed to bring the deficit down to three points at the end of the third quarter. In the final 12 minutes, the Warriors’ reserves once again made a difference and took the lead, leading 97-94. Jokic and Murray brought the Nuggets back in front, but Wiggins cut the lead to three points with about three minutes left. Murray responded with a perimeter shot, and Curry hit another three-pointer. However, Jokic’s basket with 34 seconds left made it 118-112 in favor of the Nuggets. Chris Paul made a layup, but the victory was already sealed for Denver. The final score was 120-114 in favor of the Nuggets.
In another game, the New York Knicks defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 129-122. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 38 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard scored 32 points each for the Bucks. The Knicks had a strong start, with Brunson and RJ Barrett scoring 29 of the team’s 36 points in the first quarter. The Bucks struggled with Lillard missing his first five attempts but managed to cut the Knicks’ lead to seven points. At halftime, the Knicks were ahead 62-51. In the second half, the Knicks maintained their double-digit lead, thanks to Brunson’s performance. The Bucks had a brief comeback, cutting the deficit to four points, but the Knicks quickly regained control. In the final period, the Knicks had a 16-point lead with just over four minutes remaining. The Bucks made a late push but ultimately fell short. The Knicks ended the Bucks’ seven-game winning streak.
Overall, both the Nuggets and the Knicks secured victories in their respective games.
