Both the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks both played their second game in as many nights but that didn’t prevent them from putting on a show. The stars were out with Cooper Flagg, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray all having big nights in a game that went all the way down to the wire. The Nuggets got a great look at the very end but couldn’t get the shot to fall and end up losing a heart breaker 138-137.

The Nuggets offense was cold to start the game while the Mavericks were spreading the ball around and they built a lead. Denver’s defense kept them in it for a bit but they still had mustered only two points in the first four minutes of the game and found themselves trailing double digits. Murray got a couple buckets for Denver but they continued to struggle with the lead hitting sixteen at the five minute mark. The Mavericks kept getting opportunities at the rim and cashing them in. Denver’s key reserves were in and trying to keep the Nuggets in it, Tim Hardaway Jr. knocked down a pair of shots with three minutes to go. Denver went on a run down the stretch fueled by outside shots, particularly from Jokic, and got within six. Cooper Flagg kept getting big buckets though, he sparked an 8-0 run to close the first and it ended with Dallas leading 41-27.

Flagg kept cooking to open the second quarter, he hit Daniel Gafford for an alley-oop and then buried a three to make David Adelman call a timeout (the Nuggets turned the ball over inbounding the ATO play). The bench group’s offense was suspect but Hardaway from three still paid dividends and that helped stop the bleeding. There was a rare Curtis Jones sighting just before the midway point of the quarter as Adelman went with an entirely different group on the wings (Julian Strawther was also in). That group actually did pretty well and got Dallas’ lead back down to a dozen. They eventually stalled out though and couldn’t get any closer. That precipitated the starters coming in to close out the half. Murray was carrying the offense for Denver and got them back within seven. Flagg hit a three right before the end of the quarter and at halftime the Mavericks led 66-56.

Jokic took control of the early goings in the second half and engineered a 7-0 run to open it. Dallas briefly fought back but the Nuggets were cooking, after Jokic fed Cameron Johnson with a highlight no look pass the game was all tied at 76. Denver got incredibly sloppy immediately following that which led to four straight buckets at the rim for the Mavericks as they retook the lead. The lid was completely on the basket for the Nuggets meanwhile. It ended up being a 15-0 run for Dallas before Hardaway hit a three. He in fact hit three in a row but Denver played no defense and only made small gains on the Mavericks lead. The Nuggets closed the quarter strong though, with Hardaway still hitting threes while his teammates joined in. They closed it with Jokic making Daniel Gafford look silly on a bounce pass to Bruce Brown for a layup which tied the game at 103 all.

Denver’s bench kept the lead for a couple minutes but then Johnson went down holding his knee after getting tangled up going for a defensive rebound. It did not look good as Cam was on the floor for several minutes before he eventually walked back to the locker room under his own power but with a noticeable limp. The air sort of came out of the Nuggets after that and the Mavericks took a small lead. Denver pushed back and the game was headed to a close finish. Dallas kept in front by a basket or two heading down the stretch with Flagg leading the way. They kept getting the key basket to stay just in front of the Nuggets. With 30 seconds to go Jokic hit a floater in the lane to put Denver behind by one. Dallas had a shot clock violation leaving the Nuggets one last shot. Jokic made the right play and kicked it out to Peyton Watson for a wide-open corner three at the buzzer but his shot went halfway down and out. Mavericks escape with the win 138-137.