The Denver Nuggets held off the Toronto Raptors 121-115 on Friday night at Ball Arena, securing a narrow victory behind Jamal Murray’s 31 points.
Nikola Jokic added 22 points and nine rebounds, hitting the go-ahead jumper with 45 seconds left to seal the win.
Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 23 points, shooting 7-of-10 from three-point range, while Aaron Gordon added 16 points to round out Denver’s balanced attack.
The Nuggets improved to 8-8 since the All-Star break, snapping the Raptors’ three-game winning streak in a tightly contested matchup.
Toronto was led by Jakob Poeltl, who scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, with Brandon Ingram adding 19 and RJ Barrett contributing 18.
The Raptors trailed 101-98 late in the fourth quarter before Hardaway tied the game with a three-pointer with 7:27 remaining.
Denver extended the lead to 115-110 with 1:43 left, but Toronto responded with Scottie Barnes’ layup and Poeltl’s three-point play to tie at 115 with one minute remaining.
The Nuggets closed with a 6-0 run, featuring Jokic’s turnaround jumper, Murray’s three free throws, and Gordon’s free throw to secure the win.
Denver shot 54% from the field and 47% from three, while Toronto struggled at 51% and 32% from deep, limiting their late-game opportunities.
Denver outrebounded the Raptors 38-32, with Jokic and Gordon controlling the boards and creating second-chance opportunities.
Christian Braun added 11 points for the Nuggets, while Cameron Johnson chipped in six points and five rebounds off the bench.
Toronto’s bench contributions included Sandro Mamukelashvili with four points and Jamison Battle adding three, but the Raptors could not overcome Denver’s late surge.
The Nuggets improved their home record and will host Portland on Sunday night, while Toronto travels to face Phoenix in their next matchup.
