Nuggets Beat Lakers Without Top Forwards
The Denver Nuggets overcame the absence of their top four forwards to defeat the Lakers, surviving a late rally behind Nikola Jokic's classic all-around performance. Meanwhile, the Magic spoiled Cooper Flagg's return with Wendell Carter Jr.'s dunk with 1.4 seconds left to beat Dallas 115-114.
The Nuggets were missing a significant portion of their frontcourt, with Aaron Gordon (hamstring), Peyton Watson (hamstring), Spencer Jones (shoulder), and Cameron Johnson (ankle) all sidelined with injuries. Despite the depleted roster, Denver secured a 120-113 victory over the Lakers. Nikola Jokic recorded his 23rd triple-double of the season, finishing with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists. Jamal Murray matched Jokic's scoring output with 28 points of his own, including 20 in the first half, to help Denver lead wire-to-wire. During the loss, LeBron James made history by surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most career field goals in NBA history. James hit his record-breaking 15,838th field goal in the first quarter. In Orlando, rookie Cooper Flagg returned for the Mavericks after an eight-game absence due to a left mid-foot sprain. The No. 1 draft pick posted 18 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 blocks in his return. The Mavericks-Magic game came down to the final moments after a three-point play by Flagg put Dallas ahead by four with 37.3 seconds left. A Jalen Suggs 3-pointer and Wendell Carter Jr.'s subsequent dunk with 1.4 seconds remaining sealed the 115-114 win for Orlando. The loss marked the 15th defeat for the Mavericks in their last 17 games. For the Magic, Tristan da Silva led the team in scoring with 19 points, while Paolo Banchero contributed a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
