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Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466
Nikola Jokic (#15) of the Denver Nuggets shoots in the game against the New York Knicks at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, March 21, 2024. /CFP
The Denver Nuggets beat the New York Knicks 113-100 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, on Thursday, securing their second straight win.
Having come home after four games on the road, the Nuggets didn't have the best defensive intensity from the beginning of the game. Their offense remained as sharp as usual, especially when they enjoyed an obvious size advantage over the Knicks in nearly every position. Michael Porter Jr. shot 13-for-16 from the field to drop a court-high 31 points for the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic had a triple-double that included 20 points before the fourth quarter.
The Nuggets outscored the Knicks by as many as 20 points (66-46) in the paint at a better field goal (FG) rate (62.3 percent-59 percent). That's why they extended their lead to double digits multiple times on Thursday night. However, such leads often didn't last long because their defense was too loose to contain the opponents' ace, Jalen Brunson.
Michael Porter Jr. (#1) of the Denver Nuggets dunks in the game against the New York Knicks at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, March 21, 2024. /CFP
Brunson averaged 27.6 points, 6.4 assists and 2.7 triples at 40 percent per game this season. He got 121 points in total in the previous three games. The Nuggets had their best perimeter defender Kentavious Caldwell-Pope guard him, but Caldwell-Pope didn't prioritize keeping Brunson from driving off the dribble from his left side, which should be the fundamental defensive policy for a left-handed guard.
As a result, Brunson got 22 points and eight assists in the first three quarters for the Knicks. His orchestrating also enabled Isaiah Hartenstein, who had averaged no more than seven points per game this season, to go 7-for-9 in FGs to score 15 points in the first three periods. When Alec Burks knocked down a triple assist to Brunson at 6:09 in the fourth quarter, the Knicks cut their deficit to five points (97-92).
Miles McBride (R) of the New York Knicks guards Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets in the game at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, March 21, 2024. /CFP
Three-time NBA champion Byron Scott once said that his secret to guarding Michael Jordan was that he never tried to enrage Jordan unless he wanted to watch Jordan score 60 points over his head. The same could be said about the Nuggets in Thursday's game. The Knicks had Miles McBride guard Jamal Murray, and the junior guard had multiple highlights of stopping Murray from scoring. Then, in one of the Nuggets' transitional attacks, Murray was fouled by Burks in a very physical way.
Burks' move infuriated not only Murray but also the whole Nuggets. The team immediately took their defense to the next level, paralyzing the Knicks' offense by shutting down Brunson and sealing the deal in less than four minutes. After this victory, the Nuggets continued to follow closely the Western Conference leaders, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Paolo Banchero (#5) of the Orlando Magic passes in the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, March 21, 2024. /CFP
Other games on Thursday (away teams come first):
New Orleans Pelicans 106-121 Orlando Magic
The Magic extended their winning streak to five games after walking over the Pelicans at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Paolo Banchero had a triple-double of 20 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for the home team. They outscored the opponents 72-47 in the second and third periods to turn the contest into a long-gone conclusion before the fourth quarter.
The Pelicans suffered worse than a loss on Thursday as their best scorer, Brandon Ingram, exited the game early in the third period. He couldn't stand up by himself. The serious injury was in Ingram's left knee, which appeared to be hyperextended.
Dillon Brooks (#9) of the Houston Rockets drives toward the rim in the game against the Chicago Bulls at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, March 21, 2024. /CFP
Chicago Bulls 117-127 Houston Rockets
The Rockets obviously are not ready to say goodbye to the playoffs as they secured their seventh consecutive win by beating the Bulls at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on Thursday. Dillon Brooks got 23 points in 25 minutes before he was ejected together with DeMar DeRozan in the third quarter. The team's bench squad outscored their Bulls' counterpart 48-28.
The ejection happened after DeRozan committed a hard foul on Jalen Green. Brooks went to DeRozan to protest against his move. Their teammates separated the two before the argument escalated. In the end, DeRozan was thrown out with a flagrant 2 foul. Brooks was out after receiving the second technical foul.
After Thursday's win, the Rockets are 2.5 games behind the Golden State Warriors, who are in 10th place in the West and the bottom spot for the play-in tournament.
Sacramento Kings 102-109 Washington Wizards
Brooklyn Nets 108-115 Milwaukee Bucks
Utah Jazz 97-113 Dallas Mavericks
Atlanta Hawks 115-128 Phoenix Suns