The Gods are cruel. Aaron Gordon made a raucous return to the court after two extended stints on the injured list derailed Mr. Nugget’s season. With Cam Johnson and Spencer Jones making their way back as well, the Nuggets finally rolled out the full starting lineup for the first time in the year of our lord 2026.
The core with championship aims got less than a full half together before NuggLife reminded Denver fans that nothing ever goes as planned in the Mile High.
1st Quarter
The Nuggets looked to get AG involved right away. The first two corner threes rimmed off, but then Christian found him curling to the rim for a dunk that brought the crowd to their feet. Then Jok and Mal went to work, reeling off a 9-0 run with an and-one for the big man followed by a Murray pull-up three (11-2). Jamal stayed aggressive through the middle of the quarter, matching baskets by Towns and Hart with a pair of short jumpers. After Cam and KAT both picked up their second fouls on a double foul, CB’s first three and a Jokic tip-in gave the Nuggets a 20-11 lead at the halfway mark.
The Knicks hung around, though, with Shamet treys and Robinson dunks while the Nuggets couldn’t convert on nine of their first eleven from distance. The teams traded drives to close out the quarter, and after Robinson’s ninth point, the Knicks cut the lead to 29-27.
2nd Quarter
The benches stayed in touch through the first minutes of the second. Julian and Mal hit a couple. Towns and Shamet matched. A pair of OG free throws after Spencer Jones’ third foul gave the Knicks their first lead (35-33), and Cam’s miss on a nice AG find made the Nuggets 3/16 from deep, which felt like the only reason the Knicks were maintaining their small lead. After a KAT flop drew an offensive foul on Val, leading to a pair of Knicks free throws on the other end, Murray found the big man on a roll to the rim, cutting the Knicks lead to 39-36.
The offense stagnated, though, as the Knicks built a lead on free throws and threes. Jokic’s and-one on a drive finally gave the crowd something to cheer about. But an 8-point personal run for Anunoby expanded the Knicks lead to 53-44, leading to a Nuggets timeout. Jok hit a pair out of the timeout for his 17th point, but Robinson answered with another dunk for his 13th of the game. On the missed free throw, the Knicks hustled down two offensive rebounds, ending in a Hart jumper, equaling the Knicks’ largest lead of the game.
Jokic’s 21st point that cut the Knicks lead to 6 looked to spark a run, but the team couldn’t come along with the MVP. KAT layed it in, Murray missed his, and Bridges outran the defense for an easy transition dunk. Mal then made one of two from the line, but Hart converted quickly on another drive into the heart of the defense. Then with 1:05 left, Murray hit the floor, grabbing his ankle on a charge call that was ultimately overturned. OG converted both for his 14th point, and the Knicks went to the half up 65-52.
3rd Quarter
With Murray questionable to return with a sprained ankle, Nikola came out looking to set the tone. Cam started the half with a nice steal and transition layup (just the second turnover for the Knicks), but after OG responded with an easy drive, Big Honey hit a floater, turnaround, and drive, giving him 27 on the game but only shrinking the Knicks’ lead to 11. Nikola’s air-balled three made the Nuggets 2 of 20 from deep on this, the second night of a road/home back-to-back.
The Knicks, on the other hand, continued to drive and kick as Hart’s 11th point made the Knicks 8/22 from deep. Cam answered with a driving floater but missed a reverse layup that the Knicks took advantage of with another OG three (83-68). Three missed (open) triples by Jokic and a turnover stalled the offense while the Knicks continued to build their lead toward 20. THJ then back-ironed one from deep, leading to a run out and conversion for Hart and a DA timeout.
After an almost comical Spencer Jones miss made the Nuggets 0/17 from deep followed by a Hart trey dropped in off the front rim, Jokic FINALLY made one (1/7 3PM). Bruce followed with a bucket, but Diawara’s tip-in typified the lack of effort and execution plaguing Denver through three quarters. Brunson’s pull-up trey gave the Knicks a 101-75 lead and all but sealed the rout. Brown’s third turnover trying to feed Jokic in the post led to an Anunoby reverse dunk that all-but ended the game a quarter early.
4th Quarter
OG’s sixth three with 10:00 left was more than the Nuggets’ entire team up to that point, which is all that really needs to be said about the fourth quarter and the game.
Oh, except for the 18-2 run the Knicks bench went on to close out their 39-point win.
Welcome back, AG.
Thoughts and prayers for Mal.
FINAL SCORE
New York Knicks 142, Denver Nuggets 103
GAME NOTES
- The Nuggets starting lineup got to play eight whole minutes together
- Nikola Jokic finished with 38/8/5 in three quarters (if you need a silver lining)
- Jalen Brunson was held(?) to just 9 points but had 15 assists as OG, Hart, and KAT carried the scoring
