The Denver Nuggets, decimated by injuries, limped to Cleveland looking to win consecutive games without four starters. This time, however, they were also without Jonas Valanciunas, who suffered a right calf strain in the win over Toronto.
Denver fought hard on the road, and their best remaining player, Jamal Murray, showed out. But Cleveland’s second-half adjustment stifled Denver’s offense, and the Cavaliers completed their comeback in the clutch.
Final score: 112-108.
Nuggets Start DaRon Holmes II
Holmes II looked notably undersized against Cleveland’s double big lineup, featuring Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. He committed two fouls in the first eighty-one seconds of game time. David Adelman subbed him out for Zeke Nnaji.
Holmes II checked back in during the second quarter and flashed his playmaking ability. The Mile High Flyer recorded three assists in the second quarter and four in the first half. He picked up a couple more assists in the third quarter, when he also drilled a three-pointer and got more involved in the rebounding battle.
Unfortunately, his inexperience reared its head in the fourth quarter, when he record-scratched on a pair of open threes and missed another in the corner. This, of course, is understandable, given how his season has unfolded.
Size Disadvantage
Without both of their centers, the Nuggets started Holmes II at the five. The youngster had his work cut out for him in his first career start, just one game removed from his season debut.
The Cavs were too big for the shorthanded Nuggets, and they force-fed the ball to their bigs early on. The Nuggets worked hard to muck things up, but it came at a cost. Early fouls limited Holmes’ playing time.
Predictably, Cleveland owned the glass. They won the rebounding battle 30-18 in the first half. They also held the advantage in the paint, outscoring Denver 32-20. Both of those advantages would grow after halftime.
Murray Dominates the First Half, Cavs Adjust
The Cavaliers opted not to double Murray early on, opening the door for a big first quarter from Denver’s best player on the floor. He attacked Darius Garland in the opening minutes, muscled his way to the rim for some tough finishes, and knocked down a pair of threes.
Murray scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting in his first nine minutes and twenty-eight seconds on the floor — a certified flurry. He finished the first quarter with 16 points.
Naturally, Murray rested for the first half of the second quarter, and he picked up right where he left off when he checked back in. Murray scored 12 more points in just six minutes and twenty-nine seconds to chip away at Cleveland’s lead. He scored 28 points in the first half — a season high.
The Cavs adjusted in the second half, blitzing Murray off of ball screens and taking him out of his rhythm. It came down to others making them pay, but the shotmaking dried up for Denver’s role players, and the Cavs pulled away late.
The Nuggets scored just 11 points in the fourth.