The Denver Nuggets won three straight games on the road that came in tonight and looked like it would make a perfect 4-0 on the road with a win against the Indiana Pacers. They got off to a great start and their big tries from Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. delivered again. Indiana finally ends up late on a second night of a back to back and spoils good games from Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis. Denver wins 113-103 and is on track for the all star break.
The Nuggets rolled things behind the gate behind Will Barton and Porter Jr., who scored tries each time. Denver led 13-2 before Indiana gained momentum. They also had some lucky breaks, including a try in Turner, and a 15-0 run to take the lead and force coach Michael Malone. The run went to 17-0 before Monte Morris finally got a basket, which did not stop the disappearing act in the defense that Denver did perform. Things that sharpened at the end of the quarter allowed Denver to put the emphasis on everyone except Sabonis who put the Pacers ahead. However, the Nuggets ended the quarter strong and retreated one by one.
PJ Dozier gave Denver the life of the bench to start second, first hitting a try and then following up with a mid-range jumper to put Denver in front again. The Nuggets were in rhythm again, especially with their passing which was excellent and resulted in a high percentage of looks on the edge. Denver took the lead to seven, but they still struggled to limit the Pacers on the attacking glass that kept Indiana within striking distance. When Denver’s appetizer came back in their attack, it got weird, but Indiana was cold off the floor, except for a second chance (again) there wasn’t much to talk about Indy’s offense. Denver found their range from three to the end of the half, and a try from Joker tipped them by twelve, just over two minutes ahead. Indiana got some life and pushed back at the end of the half, but after two quarters they were still nine behind.
Denver were sloppy to start the second half, but that did not hurt them at the gate, as it looks like the Pacers still can not get the lid off the edge. The game was still more sloppy than the joe, as the quarter progressed, and Denver’s lead around ten points. The sloppiness eventually caught up with them and Indiana went on a 14-2 run to level the game and force Malone to a time-out. Jokic really struggled on the night, but with his passing he started to get a groove and get easy buckets for his teammates. That, along with Dozier and Vlatko Cancar, sparked a run to put the Nuggets back at eight. Indiana really struggled to gather good possessions on their side, making the Nuggets’ lead shrink. At the end of the third quarter, Denver was still with eight.
Denver’s offense kept boiling to start the fourth and kept them ahead. However, the Pacers would not go quiet and found a way to string baskets together to prevent the Nuggets from closing it early in the fourth. Porter would not be deterred from a victory and started flattening a few tries, which increased the lead to fourteen. Around the middle of the quarter, he erased a Malcolm Brogdon layout with a beautiful block that led to a Murray dunk and it felt like it was the nail in the coffin. Indiana gave it one last push though and within two with two minutes to come back. Denver delayed things to get the Pacers playing against the clock and they could not overcome it. Denver won 113-103