Much of the luster was taken away from the Denver Nuggets’ only regular-season visit to Cleveland when superstar center Nikola Jokic hyperextended his left knee on Monday and was ruled out until at least late January.
The games must go on, though, and the Cavaliers will host the injury-plagued Nuggets on Friday.
Denver also will be without Jokic’s backup, Jonas Valanciunas, who strained his right calf Wednesday during a 106-103 win at the Toronto Raptors.
The Nuggets do not have another center on their roster, which adds to their woes. Starters Aaron Gordon (hamstring), Christian Braun (ankle) and Cam Johnson (knee) remain out as well.
“It seems like it happens every night,” said Denver coach David Adelman, whose team is averaging a league-best 125.1 points. “Another guy gets hurt and we have a lot of guys playing different positions.
“Going into (Toronto), I honestly had no idea what we were going to do, so I just wanted to react to the situations.”
Forward Peyton Watson scored a team-high 24 points against the Raptors, but guard Jamal Murray propelled the Nuggets to the victory with 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Murray, a native of greater Toronto, is averaging career highs of 25.2 points and 7.0 assists as he pursues his first All-Star appearance in his 10th season.
“I’m just trying to be unselfish and let the other things happen,” Murray said. “With everybody out, we’ve got to do it together. Do what you can and come out with the right attitude.”
Denver escaped with the win when Brandon Ingram’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer, initially signaled good, was ruled late following a video review. It was the Nuggets’ first regulation victory since Dec. 22 against the Utah Jazz.
Despite their ongoing battle with attrition, the Nuggets sit third in the Western Conference standings.
“In the NBA, if you stay in the game, you’ve got a great chance to win it,” Adelman said.
Cleveland appears to be gaining momentum with four wins in its last six games, including two in a row, but remains eighth in the East.
Donovan Mitchell topped 30 points for the 18th time this season — finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists — as the Cavaliers beat the visiting Phoenix Suns 129-113 on Wednesday.
The six-time All-Star shooting guard had been held to a season-low 10 points two days earlier in a 113-101 win at the San Antonio Spurs.
“That’s ultimately what it is, needing consistency on both sides of the ball,” Mitchell said. “We haven’t been consistent all year, but right now our intensity on both sides of the floor is great.”
Point guard Darius Garland added 19 points and six assists against Phoenix while big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen combined for 32 points and 21 rebounds. Mobley also swatted five shots.
The aforementioned “Core Four” has started just six games together this season due to injuries. The Cavs are 4-2 in those games and 15-14 in all others.
“We’re doing a little better, not just tonight, but for five or six games going back,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We’re still not there, but are trending better.”
Cleveland isn’t in position to meander much longer, having played a league-high 20 home games to 15 on the road. It also faces the East-leading Detroit Pistons on a three-game homestand before a two-game road trip.
“This is a great job we have,” Mitchell said. “We need to continue to have trust, stay together and keep our spirits up.”
–Field Level Media
