There are a litany of ways to lose a basketball game that hurt fans. The Denver Nuggets lost a game in perhaps the best way they could, though bittersweet would qualify best for this game.
The Nuggets dropped another road game 113-108 vs the Cleveland Cavaliers in what was a truly impressive effort for all 48 minutes. Denver battled from the beginning of the game to the end but were ultimately worn down by the more talented team at home. Despite leading by nine points going into the final frame, the Nuggets scored just 11 points in the fourth quarter and lost by five. They held on for dear life, but too many missed shots in the closing minutes led to the Cavaliers overwhelming Denver.
Jamal Murray was the star of the show for most of the evening with 34 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. Murray scored 28 points in the first half and extremely locked in. Unfortunately, his shooting efficiency dried up in the second half as a variety of things happened at once.
The Cavaliers changed their defensive coverage on Murray to blitz him and get the ball out of his hands more consistently. Murray also missed some shots that he was consistently hitting in the first half. In addition, Murray clearly wore down throughout the game as the minutes racked up and the pressure intensified. Murray just played the 33rd out of 34 possible games this year and is now averaging 35.3 minutes per contest. He’s now played the 11th most total minutes in the NBA this season, and without Jokic and other starters to remove the ball pressure, the energy is leaving him quicker than before.
That’s what happens when Jamal is wide open pic.twitter.com/9w4YemMm0C
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 3, 2026
When Murray was doubled, he often passed the ball to Peyton Watson, who had a strong first three quarters but also struggled in the fourth. Watson had 21 points but on 22 shots, going just 1-of-7 in the fourth quarter. It’s a new role that Watson is trying to adjust to, and some inefficiency was bound to happen during this process.
DaRon Holmes II started at center tonight in place of the injured Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas. It was an up-and-down performance for Holmes, who showed strong flashes as a playmaker out of the short roll with six assists and as a switch defender. The Nuggets were +9 with Holmes on the floor and played good basketball with him out there. Unfortunately, Holmes also missed some important shots throughout the game, finishing with just three points and four rebounds in 24 minutes.
Spencer Jones continues to shine as a defender though. He made some incredible defensive plays throughout the game to keep the Nuggets ahead for most of the fourth quarter. The ability to slide his feet on the perimeter, be strong on the interior, and read passing and driving lanes has helped Denver immensely in the clutch. In addition, Jones finished with 13 points and six rebounds while shooting 3-of-5 from three, a strong all-around game for the Stanford forward.
Check out #Nuggets rookies Spencer Jones and DaRon Holmes II doing damage in the 2nd quarter for a severely undermanned Denver team with some HUGE plays against a formidable opponent#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/oot9fUgsMK
— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) January 3, 2026
Off the bench, Tim Hardaway Jr. put up 15 points on 14 shots. He took and made some incredibly difficult threes, and the Nuggets needed each of them, especially the ones he created out of isolation late in the shot clock. Zeke Nnaji also finished with 13 points himself, hitting a three-pointer but also going 6-of-6 at the free throw line. Though Nnaji appeared overwhelmed on the interior defense at times, he still drew fouls on the other end of the floor and fought for extra possessions.
The Nuggets won’t settle for a moral victory here, nor can they. There are three more road games on this trip, and the Nuggets are currently 1-3. Obviously, being without Nikola Jokic and others makes life fairly difficult, but the Nuggets are playing with immense effort and good defensive execution. They’re not simply rolling over which is a good sign.
Cassidy Hubarth of Prime reported on the sideline that the Nuggets were internally pleased by Jokic’s injury progress with his knee injury. She also reported that there’s a chance Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun return before the end of this road trip, though the Nuggets will be cautious.
Any reinforcements the Nuggets can get would be extremely helpful. They’re running on fumes, though Murray and the Nuggets are clearly giving it all they have until others return to the fold.
Nuggets struggle in fourth quarter, lose to Cavaliers after strong effort Mile High Sports.
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