Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to a 129-115 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to nine games.
Murray scored 34 points on 12-of-18 shooting and knocked down seven three-pointers. Jokic added 29 points, 17 rebounds, and nine assists while attempting a career-high 14 shots from beyond the arc, making six.
Denver (37-19) remained dominant despite facing a determined Hornets squad that kept the game close until the final minutes. The win moved the Nuggets into second place in the Western Conference standings.
Miles Bridges carried Charlotte (14-40) with a season-high 36 points and 13 rebounds. The Hornets were without LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams, both sidelined due to injury.
The game was a tight battle early, with Denver leading 38-30 after the first quarter. Both teams scored 28 in the second, and Charlotte made a push in the third, cutting the deficit to three at one point. However, the Nuggets pulled away with a strong fourth quarter.
Aaron Gordon contributed 18 points, while Michael Porter Jr. returned from injury and grabbed 11 rebounds. Russell Westbrook, also back in the lineup, had eight points and seven assists off the bench.
Charlotte, playing on the second night of a back-to-back after beating the Lakers, managed to tie Denver in fast-break points (15-15) and points in the paint (52-52). However, the Nuggets’ three-point shooting proved to be the difference, as they hit 19 of 43 attempts.
Charlotte had solid contributions from Josh Green (19 points), Nick Smith Jr. (16 points), and Damion Baugh (14 points off the bench). However, Denver’s depth and star power ultimately proved too much.
Julian Strawther provided a spark for the Nuggets’ second unit, scoring 16 points and hitting four three-pointers. DeAndre Jordan and Zeke Nnaji added valuable minutes in the paint, helping Denver outrebound Charlotte 55-45.
