NBA 2018-19: 3 talking points from Denver Nuggets' win over Toronto Raptors
In a match-up between the top two teams in their respective conferences, the Denver Nuggets ran out 95-86 winners against the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors have now lost two straight games on their West coast road trip after dropping their last game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Nuggets beat Oklahoma City Thunder in their last game and continue their great start to the season.
The franchise cornerstone, Nikola Jokic, led the Nuggets in scoring with 26 points on 11-19 shooting from the floor, and he also grabbed 9 rebounds. He got great support from Jamal Murray who scored 19 points for the game.
The Raptors, playing without their All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry for the second straight game, were led by their superstar Kawhi Leonard who tallied 29 points for the team. That, however, wasn't enough to get the win on the day.
With this victory, the Nuggets have consolidated their position atop the Western Conference with a 20-9 record. The Raptors also stay at the top of the Eastern Conference with a 23-9 record.
Here are the top 3 takeaways from the game:
#3 Fourth quarter scoring by Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray was having a very disappointing night until the first three quarters of the action. But it all changed after that, as Murray scored 15 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter alone.
The Nuggets were trailing by 13 points in the third quarter but went on a 23-2 run to take the lead. At the start of the fourth quarter, Murray got hot and scored eight straight points.
The Nuggets, who have won 10 of their last 12 games, didn't have Will Barton, Gary Harris and Paul Millsap because of injuries. They needed great work from their top players and both Jokic and Murray delivered to give them a statement win.