Jamal Murray scored 42 points and Nikola Jokic added a near triple-double as the Denver Nuggets rallied from a 23-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 141-135 on Saturday at Ball Arena. The Nuggets improved to 1-1 while the Pelicans dropped to 0-3.
New Orleans built its lead behind a hot shooting start, outscoring Denver 38-24 in the first quarter and pushing the margin to 23 points. The Nuggets outscored New Orleans 37-18 in the fourth quarter and 15-9 in overtime to pull out the win.
Takeaways From Denver’s Win Over New Orleans
A 23-point deficit erased
Denver trailed by as many as 23 points, according to the official data, after New Orleans shot out of the gate behind Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray. The Pelicans led 38-24 after one quarter and still had a 24-point cushion in the first half before the Nuggets began chipping away. Denver’s defense tightened in the second half, holding New Orleans to 18 points in the fourth quarter after the Pelicans had scored 35 in each of the second and third frames.
Murray and Jokic carry the load
Murray shot 12 of 25 from the field and 8 of 16 from three-point range, finishing plus-14 in 43 minutes. Jokic logged 44 minutes and posted 35 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, three blocks and two steals, finishing plus-11. Together they combined for 77 of Denver’s 141 points.
Free throws and turnovers tilted the margin
Denver shot 30 of 39 from the free-throw line compared to New Orleans’ 24 of 30, a nine-attempt edge at the line. The Nuggets also forced 18 Pelicans turnovers while committing just 12 of their own, a six-turnover swing that helped offset New Orleans’ 70-56 advantage in points in the paint.
Player Of The Game: Jamal Murray
Murray finished with 42 points on 12-of-25 shooting, including 8 of 16 from three-point range, to go with three rebounds and six assists in 43 minutes. It was the high mark among all scorers in the game and paced Denver’s comeback from the fourth quarter through overtime.
Nuggets Vs Pelicans By The Numbers
Denver outscored New Orleans 52-27 across the fourth quarter and overtime combined, the stretch that decided the Nuggets Pelicans 141-135 outcome. The Nuggets won the turnover battle 18-12 in their favor, converting those extra possessions despite shooting a lower field-goal percentage overall (48% to 51%). New Orleans held a 70-56 edge in points in the paint and a 23-12 advantage in fast-break points, yet Denver’s 15-of-47 three-point shooting and 30 made free throws closed the gap. The Pelicans’ largest lead reached 23 points, while Denver’s largest lead was just six, underscoring how much of the game New Orleans controlled before the finish.
What It Means
Denver moved to 1-1 and sits one game back in the Northwest Division standings, while New Orleans fell to 0-3 and trails by three games in the Southwest. The loss extended the Pelicans’ losing streak to three games to start the season, according to the standings data. Trey Murphy III led New Orleans with 26 points and Dejounte Murray added 22, but the Pelicans could not hold their lead down the stretch.
What’s Next
Denver leads the season series 1-0.
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