NEW ORLEANS -- — Jamal Murray had 35 points and nine assists, Peyton Watson made the tiebreaking jumper with 39 seconds left and the Denver Nuggets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 122-116 on Tuesday night.

Watson finished with 31 points, seven rebounds and five assists in his first game since being chosen the Western Conference player of the week. Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 18 points.

Trey Murphy III scored 31 points for the Pelicans, who lost for the 11th time in 12 games.

Murphy's layup tied it at 114 with 1:02 to play. Watson's basket put Denver back ahead and Aaron Gordon followed with a basket for a four-point lead before Murray's free throws made it 120-114 with 8.6 seconds to go.

Murray scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, making all three shots, including two 3-pointers, in about eight minutes.

Murray had 11 points in the first quarter before Watson went 6 for 6 for 15 points in the second. But Murphy had 22 points in the first half as New Orleans took a 65-60 lead.

Gordon and Jalen Pickett each scored 16 points for the Nuggets, who won for the fourth time in five games since dropping their first two games of the new year.

Saddiq Bey scored 17 points and Jordan Poole had 16 for the Pelicans, who fell to 0-3 against the Nuggets this season. Rookie Derik Queen had 10 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.

New Orleans outrebounded Denver, missing Nikola Jokic, 50-33.

Up next

Nuggets: Visit Dallas on Wednesday.

Pelicans: Host Brooklyn on Wednesday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Aaron Gordon vs. Derik Queen (Jalen Pickett gains possession)	0	0
11:46	Jamal Murray makes 2-foot two point shot (Jalen Pickett assists)	0	2
11:32	Trey Murphy III makes alley oop dunk (Derik Queen assists)	2	2
11:11	Aaron Gordon makes 13-foot two point shot	2	4
10:55	Spencer Jones blocks Derik Queen 's 5-foot driving layup	2	4
10:54	Spencer Jones defensive rebound	2	4
10:44	Derik Queen defensive 3-seconds (technical foul)	2	4
10:44	Jamal Murray makes technical free throw	2	5
10:33	Jalen Pickett misses 25-foot three point jumper	2	5
10:29	Trey Murphy III defensive rebound	2	5
10:21	Trey Murphy III misses driving layup	2	5
10:18	Aaron Gordon defensive rebound	2	5
10:05	Jamal Murray misses 26-foot three point jumper	2	5
10:00	Derik Queen defensive rebound	2	5
9:55	Jeremiah Fears misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	2	5
9:51	Peyton Watson defensive rebound	2	5
9:40	Aaron Gordon misses 25-foot three point jumper	2	5
9:37	Trey Murphy III defensive rebound	2	5
9:30	Jeremiah Fears misses driving layup	2	5
9:29	Jeremiah Fears offensive rebound	2	5
9:29	Jeremiah Fears makes tip shot	4	5
9:12	Peyton Watson misses driving floating jump shot	4	5
9:10	Jeremiah Fears defensive rebound	4	5
9:01	Jeremiah Fears makes two point shot	6	5
8:44	Jamal Murray makes 25-foot three pointer	6	8
8:36	Saddiq Bey makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jeremiah Fears assists)	9	8
8:12	Jalen Pickett makes 26-foot three pointer	9	11
7:57	Zion Williamson misses 1-foot hook shot	9	11
7:57	Nuggets defensive team rebound	9	11
7:45	Peyton Watson misses 23-foot three point jumper	9	11
7:41	Derik Queen defensive rebound	9	11
7:34	Trey Murphy III makes dunk (Derik Queen assists)	11	11
7:12	Spencer Jones misses 23-foot three point jumper	11	11
7:11	Saddiq Bey defensive rebound	11	11
7:03	Trey Murphy III makes 26-foot three pointer (Jeremiah Fears assists)	14	11
6:43	Spencer Jones misses 2-foot two point shot	14	11
6:41	Derik Queen defensive rebound	14	11
6:31	Jamal Murray shooting foul	14	11
6:31	Pelicans Full timeout	14	11
6:31	Tim Hardaway Jr. enters the game for Jalen Pickett	14	11
6:31	Saddiq Bey makes free throw 1 of 2	15	11
6:31	Saddiq Bey makes free throw 2 of 2	16	11
6:15	Jamal Murray makes 26-foot three point jumper (Aaron Gordon assists)	16	14
5:46	Zion Williamson makes 1-foot layup (Saddiq Bey assists)	18	14
5:27	Jamal Murray makes 11-foot pullup jump shot	18	16
5:17	Jeremiah Fears misses 19-foot pullup jump shot	18	16
5:15	Zion Williamson offensive rebound	18	16
5:12	Trey Murphy III misses 24-foot three point jumper	18	16
5:08	Spencer Jones defensive rebound	18	16
4:59	Zion Williamson shooting foul	18	16
4:59	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2	18	17
4:59	Karlo Matkovic enters the game for Zion Williamson	18	17
4:59	Zeke Nnaji enters the game for Aaron Gordon	18	17
4:59	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2	18	18
4:59	Micah Peavy enters the game for Saddiq Bey	18	18
4:49	Trey Murphy III misses 25-foot three point step back jumpshot	18	18
4:47	Peyton Watson defensive rebound	18	18
4:29	Peyton Watson makes layup (Jamal Murray assists)	18	20
4:16	Jeremiah Fears misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot	18	20
4:14	Zeke Nnaji defensive rebound	18	20
3:58	Peyton Watson makes 18-foot pullup jump shot (Zeke Nnaji assists)	18	22
3:47	Spencer Jones shooting foul	18	22
3:47	Jeremiah Fears makes free throw 1 of 2	19	22
3:47	Yves Missi enters the game for Derik Queen	19	22
3:47	Bruce Brown enters the game for Spencer Jones	19	22
3:47	Jeremiah Fears makes free throw 2 of 2	20	22
3:40	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	20	22
3:36	Karlo Matkovic defensive rebound	20	22
3:27	Tim Hardaway Jr. shooting foul	20	22
3:27	Trey Murphy III makes free throw 1 of 2	21	22
3:27	Trey Murphy III makes free throw 2 of 2	22	22
3:02	Jamal Murray bad pass turnover (Karlo Matkovic steals)	22	22
2:52	Trey Murphy III offensive charge	22	22
2:52	Trey Murphy III offensive foul turnover	22	22
2:52	Nuggets Full timeout	22	22
2:52	Jordan Poole enters the game for Jeremiah Fears	22	22
2:52	Jalen Pickett enters the game for Peyton Watson	22	22
2:42	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes 28-foot three point jumper (Jamal Murray assists)	22	25
2:19	Trey Murphy III makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jordan Poole assists)	25	25
1:51	Jalen Pickett makes 8-foot pullup jump shot	25	27
1:29	Micah Peavy makes 6-foot turnaround jump shot	27	27
1:11	Jalen Pickett makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot (Jamal Murray assists)	27	30
59.3	Micah Peavy misses 24-foot three point jumper	27	30
55.7	Karlo Matkovic offensive rebound	27	30
55.7	Karlo Matkovic makes tip shot	29	30
36.9	Bruce Brown makes 2-foot layup (Jalen Pickett assists)	29	32
25.5	Bruce Brown shooting foul	29	32
25.5	Yves Missi makes free throw 1 of 2	30	32
25.5	Yves Missi makes free throw 2 of 2	31	32
1.9	Jamal Murray misses 16-foot turnaround jump shot	31	32
1.9	Karlo Matkovic defensive rebound	31	32
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	31	32

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Smoothie King Center

New Orleans, LA

Date & Time

1:00 AM, January 14, 2026

Coverage

GCSEN, Pelicans.com, Altitude Sports, NBA League Pass

Attendance

17,309

Referees

Tony Brothers, Justin Van Duyne, Robert Hussey

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	40	13	.755	L2
Denver	34	19	.642	W1
Minnesota	32	21	.604	L1
Portland	25	28	.472	W2
Utah	16	37	.302	L2

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	36	16	.692	W4
Houston	32	19	.627	W1
Memphis	20	31	.392	L2
Dallas	19	33	.365	L7
New Orleans	14	40	.259	W1

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Murray, Watson help Nuggets beat Pelicans 122-116

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