Murray, Porter lead Nuggets past Grizzlies 122-110
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Jamal Murray scored 27 points, Michael Porter Jr. added 24 points and 10 rebounds as the the Denver Nuggets snapped a two-game losing streak defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 122-110 in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday night.
Christian Braun finished with 19 points, while Russell Westbrook added 12 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.
Santi Aldama led Memphis with 28 points, matching his career high. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 19 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 16 points.
It was the second straight game between the two teams. Memphis defeated Denver 105-90 on Sunday. The Nuggets had lost two straight, the slide coinciding with the absence of reigning MVP Nikola Jokic who missed his third straight game Tuesday for personal reasons.
Nuggets: After Sunday's loss to the Grizzlies, Denver coach Michael Malone encouraged his team to play more physical. Denver started the game with much more fire on Tuesday, forcing Memphis turnovers with more aggressive defense.
Grizzlies: Memphis is one of the worst teams in the league at protecting the ball, committing 16.6 turnovers a game. The Grizzlies already had 14 in the first half, leading to 16 Denver points and a double-digit Nuggets lead at the break.
Memphis was already reeling at halftime trailing 68-57, and Denver opened the second half outscoring Memphis 15-1 to take the lead to 83-58, enough of a buffer to withstand Memphis' rally in the fourth.
Denver did not shoot well in Sunday's loss to Memphis, connecting on 41.7%. In Tuesday's victory, the percentage was much better at 48.5%. The Nuggets are now 8-0 when they shoot better than 45%. Meanwhile, Memphis is winless in NBA Cup games 0-6 over the last two seasons.
The Nuggets returns home to face Dallas on Friday. The Grizzlies host Philadelphia on Wednesday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Dario Saric vs. Jaren Jackson Jr. (Brandon Clarke gains possession) | ||
| 11:48 | | Scotty Pippen Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:36 |  | Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 11:26 | | +3 | Dario Saric makes three point jump shot (Jamal Murray assists) | 3-0 |
| 11:13 | | +2 | Brandon Clarke makes two point layup (Scotty Pippen Jr. assists) | 3-2 |
| 10:51 | | +2 | Jamal Murray makes two point driving floating jump shot | 5-2 |
| 10:37 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Christian Braun steals) | ||
| 10:34 | | Scotty Pippen Jr. blocks Dario Saric's two point running layup | ||
| 10:34 | | Nuggets offensive rebound | ||
| 10:27 | | +2 | Michael Porter Jr. makes two point stepback jump shot | 7-2 |
| 10:16 | | Desmond Bane misses two point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 10:13 | | Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 10:09 | | Jamal Murray misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 10:06 | | Scotty Pippen Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 9:59 | | Jaylen Wells turnover (lost ball) (Dario Saric steals) | ||
| 9:54 | | +2 | Christian Braun makes two point running layup (Michael Porter Jr. assists) | 9-2 |
| 9:41 | | Scotty Pippen Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:36 | | Christian Braun defensive rebound | ||
| 9:34 | | Peyton Watson misses two point running dunk | ||
| 9:32 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 9:27 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 9:24 | | Jamal Murray defensive rebound | ||
| 9:09 | | Jamal Murray misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 9:05 | | Desmond Bane defensive rebound | ||
| 8:54 | | +2 | Jaylen Wells makes two point reverse layup (Scotty Pippen Jr. assists) | 9-4 |
| 8:40 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. shooting foul (Dario Saric draws the foul) | ||
| 8:40 | | +1 | Dario Saric makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-4 |
| 8:40 | | +1 | Dario Saric makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-4 |
| 8:26 | | +2 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes two point alley-oop dunk (Brandon Clarke assists) | 11-6 |
| 8:12 | | Jamal Murray turnover (lost ball) (Scotty Pippen Jr. steals) | ||
| 8:09 | | Scotty Pippen Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Peyton Watson steals) | ||
| 8:00 | | Jamal Murray turnover (bad pass) (Jaren Jackson Jr. steals) | ||
| 7:49 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 7:49 | | Grizzlies offensive rebound | ||
| 7:39 | | Scotty Pippen Jr. misses two point turnaround jump shot | ||
| 7:37 | | Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 7:28 | | Christian Braun misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:26 | | Scotty Pippen Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 7:21 | | Jaylen Wells misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 7:16 | | Christian Braun defensive rebound | ||
| 7:16 | | Jaylen Wells shooting foul (Christian Braun draws the foul) | ||
| 7:16 | | +1 | Christian Braun makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 12-6 |
| 7:16 | | Grizzlies 60 second timeout | ||
| 7:16 | | +1 | Christian Braun makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 13-6 |
| 7:06 | | Luke Kennard turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 7:04 | | Dario Saric offensive foul (Santi Aldama draws the foul) | ||
| 7:04 | | Dario Saric turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 6:50 | | +2 | Santi Aldama makes two point driving bank hook shot (Luke Kennard assists) | 13-8 |
| 6:35 | | +2 | Michael Porter Jr. makes two point driving reverse layup (Trey Alexander assists) | 15-8 |
| 6:28 | | Luke Kennard misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:28 | | Nuggets defensive rebound | ||
| 6:28 | | Desmond Bane personal foul (Loose ball) (Jamal Murray draws the foul) | ||
| 6:16 | | Jaylen Wells blocks Jamal Murray's two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 6:13 | | Jamal Murray offensive rebound | ||
| 6:13 | | Jamal Murray misses two point tip layup | ||
| 6:13 | | Santi Aldama defensive rebound | ||
| 6:07 | | Desmond Bane turnover (lost ball) (Jamal Murray steals) | ||
| 6:02 | | Trey Alexander misses two point layup | ||
| 5:57 | | Michael Porter Jr. offensive rebound | ||
| 5:57 | | +2 | Michael Porter Jr. makes two point putback layup | 17-8 |
| 5:44 | | +2 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes two point turnaround bank jump shot | 17-10 |
| 5:29 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. personal foul (Michael Porter Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 5:22 | | Jamal Murray misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:19 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 5:15 | | Dario Saric shooting foul (Desmond Bane draws the foul) | ||
| 5:15 | | +1 | Desmond Bane makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-11 |
| 5:15 | | +1 | Desmond Bane makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 17-12 |
| 4:59 | | +2 | Michael Porter Jr. makes two point hook shot | 19-12 |
| 4:43 | | Peyton Watson blocks Desmond Bane's two point driving finger roll layup | ||
| 4:40 | | Julian Strawther defensive rebound | ||
| 4:37 | | +2 | Jamal Murray makes two point running reverse layup | 21-12 |
| 4:18 | | +2 | Luke Kennard makes two point driving floating jump shot (Jake LaRavia assists) | 21-14 |
| 4:01 | | +2 | Peyton Watson makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | 23-14 |
| 4:01 | | Jay Huff shooting foul (Peyton Watson draws the foul) | ||
| 4:01 | | +1 | Peyton Watson makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 24-14 |
| 3:49 | | +3 | Jay Huff makes three point jump shot (Jake LaRavia assists) | 24-17 |
| 3:34 | | Russell Westbrook misses two point driving finger roll layup | ||
| 3:32 | | Vince Williams Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 3:27 | | Julian Strawther shooting foul (Jake LaRavia draws the foul) | ||
| 3:27 | | +1 | Jake LaRavia makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-18 |
| 3:27 | | +1 | Jake LaRavia makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-19 |
| 3:10 | | Trey Alexander misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:06 | | Jake LaRavia defensive rebound | ||
| 2:58 | | Vince Williams Jr. misses two point cutting finger roll layup | ||
| 2:57 | | Vlatko Cancar defensive rebound | ||
| 2:54 | | Jake LaRavia kicked ball violation | ||
| 2:54 | | Nuggets 60 second timeout | ||
| 2:49 | | Russell Westbrook offensive foul (Charge) (Vince Williams Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 2:49 | | Russell Westbrook turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 2:39 | | +2 | Jake LaRavia makes two point driving floating jump shot | 24-21 |
| 2:26 | | Peyton Watson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:22 | | Vince Williams Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 2:13 | | Vince Williams Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:10 | | Julian Strawther defensive rebound | ||
| 2:04 | | Peyton Watson turnover (bad pass) (Santi Aldama steals) | ||
| 2:00 | | Luke Kennard misses three point running pullup jump shot | ||
| 1:57 | | Grizzlies offensive rebound | ||
| 1:57 | | Vlatko Cancar kicked ball violation | ||
| 1:56 | | Vince Williams Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Michael Porter Jr. steals) | ||
| 1:48 | | Julian Strawther misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 1:45 | | Vince Williams Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 1:42 | | Vince Williams Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Julian Strawther steals) | ||
| 1:37 | | +2 | Christian Braun makes two point running pullup jump shot (Russell Westbrook assists) | 26-21 |
| 1:17 | | Jay Huff misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 1:17 | | Santi Aldama offensive rebound | ||
| 1:12 | | +3 | Santi Aldama makes three point jump shot | 26-24 |
| 1:12 | | Nuggets 60 second timeout | ||
| 1:00 | | +2 | Christian Braun makes two point reverse dunk (Russell Westbrook assists) | 28-24 |
| 0:53 | | Jay Huff misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:50 | | Vlatko Cancar defensive rebound | ||
| 0:48 | | +2 | Michael Porter Jr. makes two point running dunk (Russell Westbrook assists) | 30-24 |
| 0:27 | | Vince Williams Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Russell Westbrook steals) | ||
| 0:25 | | Jay Huff shooting foul (Christian Braun draws the foul) | ||
| 0:25 | | Christian Braun misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 0:25 | | Nuggets offensive rebound | ||
| 0:25 | | +1 | Christian Braun makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 31-24 |
| 0:10 | | Christian Braun personal foul (Take) (Desmond Bane draws the foul) | ||
| 0:02 | | Desmond Bane misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 0:02 | | Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:48 | | +3 | Julian Strawther makes three point jump shot (Christian Braun assists) | 34-24 |
| 11:34 | | Peyton Watson shooting foul (Jaren Jackson Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 11:34 | | +1 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 34-25 |
| 11:34 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 11:31 | | Russell Westbrook defensive rebound | ||
| 11:16 | | Desmond Bane shooting foul (Julian Strawther draws the foul) |