DALLAS -- — Jamal Murray scored 33 points and the Denver Nuggets held on for a 118-109 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, who were without Cooper Flagg for the second half after the rookie No. 1 overall pick sprained his left ankle Wednesday night.

The Nuggets were comfortably in front when Flagg turned the ankle as he stumbled to the court when he was called for a foul while defending Peyton Watson with 6:01 remaining in the second quarter.

Flagg limped to the locker room, but returned and played the final 2:35 before the break. He didn't come out for the second half before the announcement that he was done for the night. The 19-year-old former Duke standout scored six points in 15 minutes.

Aaron Gordon had 22 points and Watson added 18 for Denver.

Naji Marshall scored 24 points and Brandon Williams had 20 for Dallas, which shot a season-worst 14.7% from 3-point range (5 of 34).

Dallas had trimmed a 23-point deficit to five early in the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer from rookie Ryan Nembhard when former Maverick Tim Hardaway answered with a 3 to start a 13-2 run that put Denver in front 101-85. Murray capped the run with a 3.

The Mavericks got back within six in the final 1:12 before Murray hit a jumper just above the free-throw line and Gordon hit two free throws.

The Mavericks ruled out Daniel Gafford in the second half with a right ankle sprain that has bothered the starting center most of the season.

The Dallas frontcourt was already missing 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II. Davis is expected to miss about six weeks with ligament damage in his left hand. Lively is out for the season following foot surgery.

Up next

Nuggets: Washington visits Saturday to start a three-game homestand.

Mavericks: The first of consecutive home games against Utah is Thursday.

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

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Aaron Gordon vs. Daniel Gafford (Naji Marshall gains possession)	0	0
11:39	P.J. Washington misses driving floating jump shot	0	0
11:35	Aaron Gordon defensive rebound	0	0
11:20	Jamal Murray misses 13-foot step back jumpshot	0	0
11:18	Daniel Gafford defensive rebound	0	0
11:07	Jaden Hardy misses 7-foot fade away jump shot	0	0
11:06	Spencer Jones defensive rebound	0	0
10:51	Aaron Gordon misses 18-foot jumper	0	0
10:49	P.J. Washington defensive rebound	0	0
10:36	Daniel Gafford makes layup	2	0
10:21	Peyton Watson makes 23-foot three point jumper (Spencer Jones assists)	2	3
10:06	Aaron Gordon shooting foul	2	3
10:06	P.J. Washington misses free throw 1 of 2	2	3
10:06	Mavericks offensive team rebound	2	3
10:06	P.J. Washington makes free throw 2 of 2	3	3
9:48	Aaron Gordon misses 24-foot three point jumper	3	3
9:45	Jaden Hardy defensive rebound	3	3
9:38	Naji Marshall bad pass turnover (Jalen Pickett steals)	3	3
9:32	Jamal Murray makes two point shot	3	5
9:20	Cooper Flagg makes 7-foot floating jump shot (Naji Marshall assists)	5	5
9:01	Jaden Hardy shooting foul	5	5
9:01	Mavericks Full timeout	5	5
9:01	(09:01) [Mavericks] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL STANDS) [Mavericks] charged with a timeout	5	5
9:01	Jamal Murray makes free throw 1 of 2	5	6
9:01	Jamal Murray makes free throw 2 of 2	5	7
8:48	Jaden Hardy misses 26-foot three point jumper	5	7
8:46	Jalen Pickett defensive rebound	5	7
8:36	Jamal Murray misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	5	7
8:35	Naji Marshall defensive rebound	5	7
8:26	Cooper Flagg misses 16-foot two point shot	5	7
8:24	Daniel Gafford offensive rebound	5	7
8:19	P.J. Washington misses driving floating jump shot	5	7
8:17	Spencer Jones defensive rebound	5	7
8:00	Jalen Pickett misses two point shot	5	7
7:57	Cooper Flagg defensive rebound	5	7
7:52	Cooper Flagg makes running layup	7	7
7:32	Jalen Pickett misses 22-foot jumper	7	7
7:30	Daniel Gafford defensive rebound	7	7
7:19	Dwight Powell enters the game for P.J. Washington	7	7
7:19	Brandon Williams enters the game for Daniel Gafford	7	7
7:10	Cooper Flagg misses 25-foot three point jumper	7	7
7:05	Dwight Powell offensive rebound	7	7
6:56	Cooper Flagg makes two point shot	9	7
6:44	Peyton Watson offensive charge	9	7
6:44	Peyton Watson offensive foul turnover	9	7
6:44	Tim Hardaway Jr. enters the game for Jalen Pickett	9	7
6:26	Tim Hardaway Jr. shooting foul	9	7
6:26	Brandon Williams makes free throw 1 of 2	10	7
6:26	Klay Thompson enters the game for Jaden Hardy	10	7
6:26	Brandon Williams misses free throw 2 of 2	10	7
6:23	Spencer Jones defensive rebound	10	7
6:14	Jamal Murray makes driving layup (Aaron Gordon assists)	10	9
6:14	Cooper Flagg shooting foul	10	9
6:14	Jamal Murray makes free throw 1 of 1	10	10
6:02	Klay Thompson makes 24-foot three point jumper (Cooper Flagg assists)	13	10
5:42	Spencer Jones misses 25-foot three point jumper	13	10
5:40	Mavericks defensive team rebound	13	10
5:31	Cooper Flagg misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	13	10
5:28	Peyton Watson defensive rebound	13	10
5:23	Brandon Williams blocks Peyton Watson 's 6-foot driving floating jump shot	13	10
5:19	Spencer Jones offensive rebound	13	10
5:17	Aaron Gordon makes 25-foot three point jumper (Spencer Jones assists)	13	13
5:04	Cooper Flagg misses driving floating jump shot	13	13
5:02	Aaron Gordon defensive rebound	13	13
4:53	Aaron Gordon makes 12-foot pullup jump shot	13	15
4:45	Jamal Murray shooting foul	13	15
4:45	Brandon Williams misses free throw 1 of 2	13	15
4:45	Mavericks offensive team rebound	13	15
4:45	Zeke Nnaji enters the game for Aaron Gordon	13	15
4:45	Brandon Williams makes free throw 2 of 2	14	15
4:36	Jamal Murray makes 28-foot three point jumper (Zeke Nnaji assists)	14	18
4:17	Naji Marshall makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot	16	18
4:01	Zeke Nnaji makes 2-foot layup	16	20
3:43	Naji Marshall makes 7-foot turnaround jump shot (Klay Thompson assists)	18	20
3:30	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 26-foot three point jumper	18	20
3:29	Zeke Nnaji offensive rebound	18	20
3:18	Spencer Jones makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jamal Murray assists)	18	23
2:56	Naji Marshall misses driving layup	18	23
2:54	Zeke Nnaji defensive rebound	18	23
2:44	Peyton Watson makes 13-foot two point shot	18	25
2:43	Mavericks Full timeout	18	25
2:43	Caleb Martin enters the game for Dwight Powell	18	25
2:43	Ryan Nembhard enters the game for Brandon Williams	18	25
2:43	Daniel Gafford enters the game for Naji Marshall	18	25
2:43	P.J. Washington enters the game for Cooper Flagg	18	25
2:43	Bruce Brown enters the game for Spencer Jones	18	25
2:27	Klay Thompson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Caleb Martin assists)	21	25
2:01	Zeke Nnaji misses 14-foot jumper	21	25
1:59	Daniel Gafford defensive rebound	21	25
1:41	Ryan Nembhard misses 17-foot step back jumpshot	21	25
1:39	Zeke Nnaji defensive rebound	21	25
1:32	Peyton Watson misses running pullup jump shot	21	25
1:29	Ryan Nembhard defensive rebound	21	25
1:24	Caleb Martin makes 21-foot running jump shot (Ryan Nembhard assists)	23	25
57.4	Jamal Murray makes 13-foot two point shot	23	27
47.9	Klay Thompson misses 23-foot three point jumper	23	27
45.0	Zeke Nnaji defensive rebound	23	27
32.0	Ryan Nembhard personal foul	23	27
32.0	Jalen Pickett enters the game for Peyton Watson	23	27
27.9	Jamal Murray makes driving layup	23	29
16.9	Caleb Martin misses 24-foot three point jumper	23	29
13.6	Zeke Nnaji defensive rebound	23	29
1.0	Jamal Murray misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	23	29
0.9	Nuggets offensive team rebound	23	29
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	23	29

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

American Airlines Center

Dallas, TX

Date & Time

2:30 AM, January 15, 2026

Coverage

ESPN, KFAA-TV, Mavs.com, Altitude Sports

Attendance

18,888

Referees

Sean Wright, Ray Acosta, Sha'Rae Mitchell

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	40	13	.755	L2
Denver	34	19	.642	W1
Minnesota	32	22	.593	L2
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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Jamal Murray scores 33 and Nuggets beat Mavs 118-109 as Cooper Flagg exits with sprained ankle

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