Detroit — The Denver Nuggets have been a leading contender for the NBA championship over the past five seasons, primarily due to Nikola Jokić’s contributions. The former second-round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft has proven himself to be one of the greatest big men in NBA history, earning three MVP awards and guiding the Nuggets to their first championship in 2023.
But Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff understands that the Nuggets’ success goes beyond the play of the future Hall of Famer. Led by Jamal Murray, the Nuggets proved they were more than a one-man show Friday night at Little Caesars Arena. As a result, the Pistons lost 134-119.
Murray had a game-high 31 points, including five 3-pointers, as the Nuggets ended the Pistons’ win streak at eight. The Pistons are 33-27 on the season.
BOX SCORE: Nuggets 134, Pistons 119
“Jamal Murray is elite at what he does — his ability to create shots, to get to his spot,” Bickerstaff said. “We know that he can really get it going offensively and put a ton of pressure on you.
“The other guys understand who they are, and they understand that the focal point is probably going to be on Murray and Jokic, but [they ask themselves] how do I score? How do I impact the game off of that? Those guys are elite cutters, so you have to pay attention to them.”
Midway through the first quarter, Murray connected on a fadeaway jump shot, which left the Pistons trailing by 18 points (30-12). Murray’s jumper was the result of a hot start, where he scored 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting in the first.
He was one of four players who finished in double figures for the Nuggets (39-21). Jokic flashed his usual dominant all-around game and notched his 46th triple-double with 23 points, 17 rebounds and 15 assists. Christian Braun added 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Michael Porter Jr. shot 6-of-7 from behind the arc for 28 points.
“They are a unique team with the way they play,” Bickerstaff said. “With having their center with the ball in his hands so much and the movement off the ball, they really test your discipline. It is great for us to have faced it, see where we make mistakes and be able to learn and grow from it. That’s the most important thing, figuring out how do we fix the errors and discipline.”
Subscribers:Amid ‘full-circle moment,’ Malik Beasley’s shimmy has Pistons surging
After a slow start, the Pistons began to chip away at Denver’s large lead, thanks to the contributions of their bench unit. Malik Beasley sparked the Pistons’ comeback with a 3-point field goal on their next offensive possession, and the momentum continued into a productive second quarter.
Halfway through the period, the Pistons came within a point (49-48). However, the Nuggets outscored Detroit 19-15 to hold a 68-63 lead by halftime. Tim Hardaway Jr. was vital in the Pistons’ comeback attempt by scoring six of his 10 points in the quarter.
Although the Pistons had found a groove, the Nuggets put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring Detroit 39-24.
Beasley led the Pistons in scoring with 16 points. Ausar Thompson added 13 points, five steals and five assists. Thompson has now recorded at least one steal in a career-long 17 consecutive games. Tobias Harris finished with a dozen.
“I don’t think we did a great job in the second half figuring out ways to attack them, scoring and getting efficient baskets,” Harris said. “As a collective effort, there were mistakes on both sides that we really have to learn from and get better at.”
Observations and notes vs. Nuggets
▶ Worst game of the season for Cade: Perhaps it was the Nuggets’ defensive scheme, but Cade Cunningham had his worst performance of the season. The All-Star guard scored a season-low 11 points on 3-of-12 shooting. He ended the first half with one point on 0-of-3 shooting from the field. He also added five assists and three rebounds.
▶ Schröder and Fontecchio return:
After missing the last game due to an ankle sprain, Dennis Schröder returned to the lineup against the Nuggets. Simone Fontecchio also made his return after sitting out the previous two games because of a dislocated finger. Fontecchio was impactful, finishing with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor.
▶
Dominance during winning streak: The Pistons were dominant during their eight-game winning streak. They led the NBA with a 105.9 defensive rating and possessed the fourth-highest offensive rating at 122.3.
Up next
The Pistons will end their four-game homestand Saturday night against the Brooklyn Nets. They will then embark on a four-game road trip starting Monday night against the Utah Jazz. Tip-off against the Nets is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena.
@cotydavis_24
