Jamal Murray missed a second-straight game, all the while Nikola Jokic continues to be sidelined, but the Denver Nuggets still found a way against Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks for a 108-104 win.
Murray, who missed Friday’s game with both an illness and an ankle injury that has been bugging him for some time, sat again on Sunday for the same reason. So again, it was the Sekleton crew for the Nuggets, boasting just one normal starter in Aaron Gordon, as Christian Braun also sat. Denver was a six-point home underdog, but the team was up to the task, led by an outpouring from Tim Hardaway Jr. and Gordon’s strong performance in returning to the starting lineup.
THJ tallied a team-best 25 points, packing the punch from deep with five triples while being a plus-26 during his time on the floor. Gordon went toe-to-toe with Antetokounmpo, slowing the former MVP to just 31 points against the center-less Nuggets. Gordon also played a bit of point guard, tossing four assists and snagging six rebounds. He also scored 23 points. It was his first game back starting after coming back a few games ago from his month-long leg injury.
“We’re just playing really hard, and it’s fun to watch,” David Adleman said. “If you stay in these games long enough… You can win games. Proud of the group.”
But it was Gordon’s backup, Zeke Nnaji, who again impressed. Recording the second double-double of his career, Nnaji scored 14, snagged 10, stole it twice and blocked it two more times. And Jalen Pickett stepped in nicely to Murray’s role, making contributions everywhere. The two were big-time in helping the Nuggets out-rebound a very big Bucks team.
“Everybody eats, that’s what we stand by, that’s what we live by, and that’s what we continue to do,” Hardaway said on the telecast after the win.
The Nuggets are now 4-3 in the seven games without Jokic. It was the first in that bunch where Peyton Watson didn’t score 20 points. He still had 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
“It does instill confidence in your better guys when they come back, because they see that the other men in that locker room are capable, confident, and they can help them out when they come back,” Adleman said of this stretch. “It’s just been a really unique, stressful last four games, but we found a way.”
What’s next for the Nuggets?
A quick back-to-back on the road this Tuesday against New Orleans and Dallas awaits the Nuggets. They’ll be back next weekend to host Charlotte, Washington and then the Lakers.
