The Denver Nuggets started their road trip looking for a little revenge against the Detroit Pistons after coming up just short in a comeback attempt against the same opponent just a week ago. Unfortunately for Denver, it was a repeat of the script with the Nuggets falling behind early, mounting a big comeback effort and then coming up painfully short in the final minute. Jamal Murray scored thirty-two while Nikola Jokic had twenty-four points and fifteen rebounds but it wasn’t enough to overcome Cade Cunningham and a well rounded effort from the Pistons starters. A terrible second quarter put the Nuggets way behind and they ultimately needed about thirty minutes to complete their comeback when they only had twenty-four remaining. They lose in Detroit 124-121.

Both teams were a bit sluggish on offense out of the gate and mustered only two points each in the first two minutes of the game. Detroit found their offense first in the form of Duncan Robinson and got a small lead working the ball around and hitting some tough shots. The Nuggets meanwhile could not buy an open three from anyone so Jokic forced the issue inside. Detroit went on a 7-0 run right around the six minute mark and pushed their lead to ten. The Pistons brought some size off the bench to keep the pressure on the Nuggets. Denver had just eleven points with four minutes remaining in the quarter. Isaiah Stewart and Jonas Valanciunas got tangled up and things got heated for a moment with Val getting a flagrant and a technical and Jalen Duren, who escalated after the fact, receiving a technical as well. That seemed to light a fire under Denver and they reeled off a 9-0 run. Big Val had back to back blocks and Murray took over the offense but the Nuggets had a poor final thirty seconds of the first which ended with them trailing 32-27.

Denver opened the second with a lineup that was Valanciunas and four guards, which was the same way they ended the first and it yielded similar results with the offense stalling out. They hung tough though with Val being a menace in the middle of the paint. The Nuggets started to look flat footed again and weren’t getting their jumpers to fall with the starters trickling back in. The Pistons lead grew and David Adelman had to call a timeout. That refocused the team and they stopped Detroit’s run. It continued to be chippy with more technicals being doled out to each team. The Nuggets had some chances to get the game back within striking distance but kept missing a key bucket when they needed it. They started getting sloppy with the ball and the Pistons took advantage, Cunningham in particular. It was a rough close to the half and by the end of the second quarter Denver trailed 69-50.

The teams traded baskets to start the third with moderate success. The Pistons lead hit twenty before Peyton Watson had a couple dunks and gave Denver a little bit of energy. With a little more pep in their step, the Nuggets chipped away at Detroit’s advantage. They got it down to fourteen before the Pistons responded, once again working through Cunningham. Denver kept playing, as the quarter progressed they’d get a bucket here and a bucket there while playing solid defense to keep trimming the lead. It amounted to an 11-3 run and the Nuggets were within eleven with four minutes to go in the third. Denver went back to a small lineup once Jokic needed some rest though and that stalled out their run while the Pistons got back to back buckets. The Nuggets were once again struggling to close out a quarter and couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities, including some lousy management of the clock in the final minute keeping them from getting the lead back below double digits. After three Denver trailed 93-80.

Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Denver got a couple buckets to open the fourth, Julian Strawther was playing well, and briefly got back within nine points. They made a couple silly mistakes though which slowed their comeback attempt. Once again, they pulled within nine but started to look tired and kept giving Detroit easy looks at the basket. Strawther was the one guy running with a full head of steam and had a nice layup to respond to a mini-Pistons run. Time was beginning to become a factor for the Nuggets. Robinson hit a big three for Detroit to go back up eleven while Watson kept forcing the issue for Denver who still trailed by nine with four minutes remaining. The Nuggets kept chipping away, a pair of Jokic free throws, a Watson block and a Murray three suddenly had them trailing by just two points with two minutes to go. Tobias Harris had the most fortunate of bounces on a corner three which was the difference going into the final minute. Denver couldn’t get a three from Strawther in response when they needed it and the Pistons were able to ice it out at the free throw line. The Nuggets comeback effort comes up short as they lose 124-121.