The Detroit Pistons survived the Denver Nuggets’ late rally 109-107, winning nine of their 11 games on Tuesday night.
Tobias Harris dropped 22 points, including two free throws with two seconds left, and Cade Cunningham also had 22 and 11 assists for the Pistons.
Despite the loss, Jamal Murray had 24 points and 10 assists, but missed two free throws in the final seconds.
With the Nuggets down 107-104, Murray was fouled on a three-point attempt with 4 seconds left and missed the first foul shot.
Harris was fouled, made both free throws, and went to the line again with 0.7 seconds remaining but missed the second foul shot.
Nuggets’ Jonas Valanciunas returned from a one-game absence to finish with 16 points and 16 rebounds, which had been scheduled to play at Memphis on Sunday.
Valanciunas missed 11 games with a right calf strain suffered in Toronto on December 31. He returned in Thursday night’s win at Washington but sat out against the Bucks.
Meanwhile, the game was postponed due to a winter storm that hit much of the country, and the Nuggets were stranded in Memphis until Monday morning.
Denver was still short-handed as Aaron Gordon reinjured his right hamstring last Friday at Milwaukee, while Nikola Jokic, Cameron Johnson, and Christian Braun continued to rehab their injuries.
Detroit led by 18 in the second quarter and by 11 early in the fourth before th Nuggets rallied to get back.
The Nuggets went on a 7-2 run after trailing 97-90, and Tim Hardaway Jr’s three made it to 103-102 with 57 seconds left.
Both teams will play on Thursday night: the Pistons at Phoenix, and the Nuggets hosting the Nets.
