Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Jamal Murray poured in 52 points to propel Denver to a 135-120 NBA victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday as the Nuggets continued to thrive on the road. Denver, losers of their last four home games, have now won eight in a row on the road. Murray, who was questionable to start after spraining his right ankle on Monday, was lethal from three-point range. He connected on 10 of 11 from beyond the arc and made 19 of his 25 attempts overall in his fifth career 50-point game, including two in the playoffs.
“I hope people understand, it’s not the 52 points, it’s the 19 of 25, 10 for 11 from three, four for five from the free throw line. That is insane efficiency,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “It’s, I’m guessing, one of the most efficient 50-point games of all time.” Nikola Jokic added 24 points, eight rebounds, and 13 assists for the Nuggets, who closed the second quarter on a 22-3 scoring run and never looked back despite a tenacious effort from the Pacers, who have struggled amid a rash of injuries after reaching last season’s NBA Finals.
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The Milwaukee Bucks shook off the early exit of two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, erasing an early 18-point deficit to beat the Detroit Pistons 113-109. Antetokounmpo went down without contact in the third minute. He was able to walk off the court but was ruled out of the game with what the team initially called a right calf strain. Bucks coach Doc Rivers said the Greek star had been sent to hospital for an MRI scan, but said the team did not believe he suffered an Achilles tendon injury. Antetokounmpo’s injury sparked more uncertainty over his future.
Having lost eight of their prior nine games, the Bucks were again assailed by trade speculation surrounding Antetokounmpo on Wednesday, with ESPN reporting he was “mulling his future” with the team. Rivers insisted before the game that there had been “no conversations” between Antetokounmpo and the team about a trade, and said the victory — amid the rumors and the injury — showed the team’s character. Kevin Porter Jr. scored 26 points, Ryan Rollins added 22, and AJ Green scored 11 of his 19 in the fourth quarter to fuel the comeback.
“It was a hell of a win,” Rivers said. “We get down early, miss wide open, great shots, but we just couldn’t get anything to fall. And Giannis gets hurt…to fight back, it just shows a lot of stuff about this team.”
– Shorthanded Spurs win – San Antonio’s De’Aaron Fox scored 31 points, including a go-ahead pair of free throws with 1.4 seconds remaining as the Spurs held off the Magic 114-112 in Orlando. Six Spurs players scored in double figures as San Antonio overcame the injury absences of French star Victor Wembanyama and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. Franz Wagner scored 25 points to lead Orlando, who trailed virtually all the way but tied it at 112-112 with 7.7 seconds remaining. After Fox put San Antonio back in front, Wagner’s last-chance layup was blocked by Luke Kornet.
The Los Angeles Clippers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 115-92 win over the Hawks in Atlanta, shaking off the turmoil of the club’s sudden parting with veteran Chris Paul. James Harden scored 27 points and handed out nine assists, and Kawhi Leonard added 21 points, six rebounds, and five assists for the Clippers, who claimed just their sixth win of the season. It came hours after the team confirmed it was jettisoning Paul, who starred for the Clippers from 2011-2017 and had returned this year for his 21st and likely final NBA season.
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