Jamal Murray’s 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds remaining gave the Denver Nuggets a thrilling 121-120 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
Damian Lillard had 40 points for the Trail Blazers, including a 3-pointer that gave them a one-point lead with 8.8 seconds remaining.
Murray then responded with his 3 from the left side for the last of the game’s 20 lead change.
Nikola Jokic had 33 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for Denver, which recovered from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to snap a three-game losing streak.
Murray scored 21 points, Aaron Gordon had 20 and Bones Hyland added 13 off the bench.
Lillard finished with 12 assists and nine 3-pointers. Jusuf Nurkic had 21 points and nine rebounds, but Anfernee Simons was 3 for 12, missing all six attempts from behind the arc.
The Nuggets fought back early in the fourth quarter, cutting the Blazers’ lead to 104-103 with 7:07 left on a Murray 3-pointer.
Jokic’s floater put the nuggets ahead for the first time in the second half at 105-104.
Gordon’s tip put the Nuggets ahead 118-117 with 17 seconds left before Lillard’s final 3-pointer made it 120-118. After Murray’s 3, the Nuggets fended off Portland’s last inbound pass.
Lillard scored eight points in the first four minutes of the third quarter to help the Blazers take a nine-point lead. He had 18 points in the quarter, giving the Blazers a 99-89 lead heading into the fourth.
SPURS 115, ROCKETS 110
SPURS 115, ROCKETS 110
Bam Adebayo had 31 points and 10 rebounds, Jimmy Butler added 26 points and the Miami Heat held off the Los Angeles Clippers 115-110 on Thursday night.
Tyler Herro scored 19 and Caleb Martin finished with 17 for the inning. Butler scored Miami’s last eight points.
Paul George finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Clippers, who went 0-2 on their Florida swing after dropping in overtime in Orlando on Wednesday.
Reggie Jackson scored 20 points for the Clippers, while Nic Batum and Marcus Morris Sr. each added 11.
The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard – he’s now missed 20 of 27 games this season – on the second night in a row, as part of the ongoing plan to deal with his right knee issues. For Miami, starting point guard Kyle Lowry was out for the first time this season, given a game off, and backup point guard Gabe Vincent (left knee) was sidelined.
SPURS 118, ROCKETS 109
Keldon Johnson scored 32 points and San Antonio snapped an 11-game losing streak by defeating Houston.
Johnson made his first nine shots and his first three 3-pointers as he helped San Antonio win for the first time since Nov. 11.
Tre Jones had a career-high 26 points and backups Doug McDermott and Josh Richardson added 12 points each.
Rookie Jabari Smith Jr scored 23 points for Houston. Alperen Sengun added 16 points and 11 rebounds, with all five Rockets starters scoring in double figures.
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich returned after missing the previous two games with what the team called a “minor medical procedure.”
