Nuggets dominate short-handed 76ers in 124-96 win
Christian Braun scored 22 points, while Nikola Jokic recorded 14 assists, as the Denver Nuggets cruised to a 124-96 victory over an injury-hit Philadelphia 76ers side on Tuesday night.
Denver kept pace with Minnesota, which also secured a win over Phoenix, as the Western Conference standings remain tightly contested. Just 1.5 games separate the third-place Los Angeles Lakers from the sixth-place Timberwolves, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.
Philadelphia was severely undermanned, missing Joel Embiid (right oblique strain), Tyrese Maxey (sprained finger), and Kelly Oubre Jr. (left elbow strain), while Paul George continues to serve a 25-game suspension.
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The sold-out crowd reacted negatively when Embiid appeared on the bench in the third quarter. The star center has now missed the last six Sixers games played in Denver, denying fans a much-anticipated MVP showdown with Jokic.
Jokic finished with just eight points on 4-of-7 shooting but made his presence felt early, reaching 10 assists in under 12 minutes. He also picked up two quick fouls and a technical foul in the first quarter after already tallying eight assists.
Cameron Johnson added 18 points for Denver, while Jamal Murray contributed 12 points after struggling in his previous outing against the Lakers, where he shot 1-of-14 and missed his final 13 attempts before fouling out in overtime.
The Nuggets had been short-handed in their previous meeting with Philadelphia on January 5 but still managed an overtime win. This time, however, they faced no such challenge.
Denver never trailed, building a 16-point lead by the end of the first quarter and extending it to 71-38 late in the second after Braun converted two free throws. The Nuggets held the Sixers to just 40 first-half points — their lowest allowed — and maintained full control throughout the game.
Up next:
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76ers: Continue their three-game road trip against Sacramento on Thursday night.
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Nuggets: Visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.
By Nijat Babayev
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