DENVER -- — Nikola Jokic had 37 points, Jamal Murray scored 21 of his 34 points in a decisive third period, and the Denver Nuggets survived Detroit's fourth-quarter rally to beat the Pistons 134-121 on Saturday night.

Michael Porter Jr. finished with 26 points for Denver, which used an 18-4 run to take the lead for good at halftime and then opened a 25-point lead heading into the fourth. Murray scored 12 points in the final 2:27 of the period to give him his first 30-point game of the season.

Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey scored 17 points each to lead Detroit.

With the starters on the bench in the fourth quarter, the Pistons cut a 25-point deficit to 10 and forced Denver coach Michael Malone to put his starters back in. Ronald Holland’s 3-pointer made it 128-121 with 2:35 left but Jokic closed it out with six straight points.

Takeaways

Pistons: It was a tough end to a road trip but it is hard to be disappointed with the four-game set. Detroit beat Phoenix, the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento to start the trip before falling to a motivated Denver team.

Nuggets: They tightened up their defense after allowing 149 points to Cleveland on Friday night. The Cavaliers had 80 points at halftime but Denver held the Pistons to 61 at the break.

Key moment

Russell Westbrook was called for an offensive foul with 4:44 left in the third quarter but immediately drew one on Cunningham on the inbounds play. The play energized the Nuggets, who finished the quarter on a 22-8 run.

Key stat

Denver is now 6-0 on the second game of a back-to-back and 2-4 on the front end.

Up next

The Pistons open a four-game homestand against Orlando on Wednesday night while the Nuggets travel to Utah on Monday night.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Jalen Duren vs. Nikola Jokic (Cade Cunningham gains possession)	0	0
11:33	Cade Cunningham misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	0	0
11:31	Russell Westbrook defensive rebound	0	0
11:25	Christian Braun misses 22-foot three point jumper	0	0
11:22	Jaden Ivey defensive rebound	0	0
11:18	Jaden Ivey makes 7-foot running pullup jump shot	0	2
10:57	Nikola Jokic makes 27-foot three point jumper (Christian Braun assists)	3	2
10:43	Jaden Ivey makes 22-foot three point jumper (Cade Cunningham assists)	3	5
10:18	Nikola Jokic makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jamal Murray assists)	6	5
10:03	Cade Cunningham lost ball turnover (Russell Westbrook steals)	6	5
9:58	Jamal Murray makes two point shot	8	5
9:48	Christian Braun shooting foul	8	5
9:48	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes free throw 1 of 3	8	6
9:48	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes free throw 2 of 3	8	7
9:48	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes free throw 3 of 3	8	8
9:26	Russell Westbrook misses two point shot	8	8
9:26	Jalen Duren defensive rebound	8	8
9:21	Jalen Duren bad pass (Christian Braun steals)	8	8
9:19	Christian Braun makes 1-foot dunk	10	8
9:01	Tobias Harris misses driving floating jump shot	10	8
8:58	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	10	8
8:50	Tobias Harris shooting foul	10	8
8:50	Jamal Murray misses free throw 1 of 2	10	8
8:50	Nuggets offensive team rebound	10	8
8:50	Jamal Murray makes free throw 2 of 2	11	8
8:32	Tobias Harris makes 10-foot two point shot	11	10
8:20	Michael Porter Jr. makes 25-foot three point jumper (Nikola Jokic assists)	14	10
8:03	Cade Cunningham makes 4-foot two point shot	14	12
7:49	Jamal Murray makes 11-foot driving floating jump shot	16	12
7:43	Jalen Duren makes 1-foot dunk (Jaden Ivey assists)	16	14
7:26	Jamal Murray misses driving floating jump shot	16	14
7:20	Michael Porter Jr. offensive rebound	16	14
7:20	Michael Porter Jr. makes dunk	18	14
7:11	Cade Cunningham makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jalen Duren assists)	18	17
6:57	Michael Porter Jr. makes 2-foot layup (Nikola Jokic assists)	20	17
6:39	Cade Cunningham lost ball turnover (Russell Westbrook steals)	20	17
6:38	Nuggets Full timeout	20	17
6:38	Russell Westbrook out of bounds bad pass turnover	20	17
6:38	Julian Strawther enters the game for Jamal Murray	20	17
6:38	Malik Beasley enters the game for Jaden Ivey	20	17
6:32	Tobias Harris makes 22-foot three point jumper (Cade Cunningham assists)	20	20
6:13	Nikola Jokic makes 9-foot two point shot (Russell Westbrook assists)	22	20
6:04	Russell Westbrook personal foul	22	20
6:04	Ausar Thompson enters the game for Tim Hardaway Jr.	22	20
5:48	Ausar Thompson makes two point shot (Tobias Harris assists)	22	22
5:38	Malik Beasley shooting foul	22	22
5:38	Pistons Full timeout	22	22
5:38	(05:38) [Pistons] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL OVERTURNED) [Pistons] retain their timeout	22	22
5:38	Christian Braun makes free throw 1 of 2	23	22
5:38	Jalen Duren lane violation	23	22
5:38	Jalen Duren lane violation	23	22
5:38	Christian Braun makes free throw 2 of 2	24	22
5:24	Malik Beasley misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	24	22
5:21	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	24	22
5:15	Russell Westbrook out of bounds bad pass turnover	24	22
5:11	Nikola Jokic personal foul	24	22
5:02	Russell Westbrook personal foul	24	22
5:02	Jamal Murray enters the game for Russell Westbrook	24	22
4:54	Cade Cunningham makes 7-foot two point shot	24	24
4:43	Julian Strawther misses 22-foot three point jumper	24	24
4:40	Christian Braun offensive rebound	24	24
4:37	Michael Porter Jr. misses 24-foot three point step back jumpshot	24	24
4:34	Jalen Duren defensive rebound	24	24
4:27	Cade Cunningham makes driving layup	24	26
4:27	Nuggets Full timeout	24	26
4:27	Peyton Watson enters the game for Christian Braun	24	26
4:27	Isaiah Stewart enters the game for Jalen Duren	24	26
4:15	Nikola Jokic makes 24-foot three point jumper (Peyton Watson assists)	27	26
3:57	Malik Beasley makes 24-foot three point jumper (Cade Cunningham assists)	27	29
3:48	Nikola Jokic out of bounds bad pass turnover	27	29
3:48	Simone Fontecchio enters the game for Tobias Harris	27	29
3:34	Cade Cunningham makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot (Isaiah Stewart assists)	27	31
3:17	Jamal Murray makes 19-foot pullup jump shot (Nikola Jokic assists)	29	31
3:07	Cade Cunningham misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	29	31
3:02	Julian Strawther defensive rebound	29	31
2:54	Michael Porter Jr. misses 27-foot three point jumper	29	31
2:51	Isaiah Stewart defensive rebound	29	31
2:45	Cade Cunningham misses 25-foot three point jumper	29	31
2:40	Ausar Thompson offensive rebound	29	31
2:38	Ausar Thompson bad pass (Peyton Watson steals)	29	31
2:37	Cade Cunningham personal foul	29	31
2:37	Hunter Tyson enters the game for Michael Porter Jr.	29	31
2:37	Jaden Ivey enters the game for Cade Cunningham	29	31
2:37	Ronald Holland II enters the game for Ausar Thompson	29	31
2:27	Jamal Murray makes 18-foot driving floating jump shot	31	31
2:12	Malik Beasley makes 27-foot three point jumper (Isaiah Stewart assists)	31	34
1:57	Jamal Murray misses 21-foot step back jumpshot	31	34
1:55	Ronald Holland II defensive rebound	31	34
1:52	Malik Beasley misses running pullup jump shot	31	34
1:48	Malik Beasley offensive rebound	31	34
1:47	Malik Beasley makes 7-foot two point shot	31	36
1:21	Julian Strawther misses driving floating jump shot	31	36
1:18	Hunter Tyson offensive rebound	31	36
1:17	Nikola Jokic makes 25-foot three pointer (Hunter Tyson assists)	34	36
59.0	Simone Fontecchio misses 26-foot three point jumper	34	36
55.1	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	34	36
45.1	Nikola Jokic makes 2-foot layup (Jamal Murray assists)	36	36
41.0	Isaiah Stewart misses 25-foot three point jumper	36	36
37.0	Simone Fontecchio offensive rebound	36	36
30.2	Jaden Ivey makes two point shot	36	38
13.1	Isaiah Stewart personal foul	36	38
13.1	Ausar Thompson enters the game for Jaden Ivey	36	38
1.2	Nikola Jokic misses 7-foot two point shot	36	38
0.0	Simone Fontecchio defensive rebound	36	38
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	36	38

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Ball Arena

Denver, CO

Date & Time

2:00 AM, December 29, 2024

Coverage

NBA League Pass, Altitude Sports, FanDuel SN DET

Attendance

19,876

Referees

Derrick Collins, J.T. Orr, Tre Maddox

2025-26 Central Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Detroit	44	14	.759	W2
Cleveland	37	24	.607	L2
Milwaukee	26	32	.448	L1
Chicago	24	36	.400	L11
Indiana	15	45	.250	L5

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	46	15	.754	W1
Denver	37	23	.617	L1
Minnesota	37	23	.617	W2
Portland	29	32	.475	L1
Utah	18	42	.300	L5

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Jokic has 37, Murray scores 34 and Nuggets beat Pistons, 134-121

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