By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Denver Nuggets showcased their championship-level poise on Monday, overcoming heavy legs and a hostile crowd to secure a narrow 128-125 victory over the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center. Playing the second part of a back-to-back, they relied on their star duo of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic to improve their 2025-26 regular-season record to 38-24.
Murray was the undisputed engine of the offense, exploding for 45 points. His most critical contribution came in the closing seconds, where he calmly sank the go-ahead free throws with just 31.8 seconds remaining. However, the game’s turning point involved an officiating decision centered on the Joker. With 16.3 seconds left, Jokic was initially called for his sixth foul, a whistle that would have sent Utah’s Keyonte George to the line for potentially lead-changing free throws. A successful challenge by coach David Adelman reversed the call, keeping the Sombor native on the floor and preserving Denver’s slim advantage.
Jokic finished the night with a workmanlike double-double, tallying 22 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in 36 minutes. Reflecting on the physical contest, the Serbian superstar noted the team’s defensive adjustments. “The first half was so-so. They had a lot of transition points. I think we kind of slowed them down until the fourth quarter,” he remarked in a postgame interview.
The Nuggets also saw a solid contribution from Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas, who added 13 points in a starting role. While Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk scored 15 points for the Jazz, the hosts ultimately missed the presence of the injured European teammates, Finland’s Lauri Markkanen (right hip impingement) and Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Jusuf Nurkic (nose injury recovery).