Denver Nuggets leaned on late-game execution Tuesday night as they held off the New Orleans Pelicans 122-116 at Smoothie King Center behind a dominant performance from Jamal Murray.
Jamal Murray scored 35 points and handed out nine assists, controlling the offense in key stretches as Denver improved to 27-13.
The Nuggets played without Nikola Jokic but still closed strong, winning for the fourth time in five games after dropping their first two contests of the new year.
Peyton Watson delivered the decisive basket, hitting a jumper with 39 seconds left to break a 114-114 tie after Trey Murphy III had knotted the game with a driving layup.
Watson followed his late heroics with a career night, finishing with 31 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in his first game since being named Western Conference Player of the Week.
Aaron Gordon added a basket after Watson’s jumper to extend the lead to four before Murray iced the game at the free-throw line with 8.6 seconds remaining.
Murray’s fourth-quarter efficiency proved decisive, as he scored 12 points on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting night in the final period, including two three-pointers.
Denver received balanced support, with Gordon and Jalen Pickett scoring 16 points apiece, while Tim Hardaway Jr. chipped in 18 off the bench.
The Nuggets shot 49 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range, compensating for a significant rebounding deficit.
New Orleans outrebounded Denver 50-33, a reflection of Jokic’s absence, but turnovers and late defensive breakdowns proved costly.
Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 31 points and kept his team competitive throughout, scoring 22 of those points in the first half.
Murphy’s production helped New Orleans carry a 65-60 halftime lead after Watson scored 15 second-quarter points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting stretch.
Saddiq Bey added 17 points, and Jordan Poole finished with 16 as the Pelicans fell to 9-33.
Rookie Derik Queen posted 10 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists, providing interior resistance against a smaller Denver lineup.
The Pelicans dropped to 0-3 against Denver this season and have now lost 11 of their past 12 games.
The Nuggets continue their road trip Wednesday in Dallas, while New Orleans hosts Brooklyn in its next outing.
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