Jamal Murray erupted for a season-high 53 points, while Nikola Jokic flirted with a rare 20-20-20 line, as the Denver Nuggets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 142-135 on Wednesday night.
Murray dominated from the opening tip, pouring in 33 points during the first half on 11-of-16 shooting. He connected on 9 of 14 three-pointers overall, going 19 of 28 from the field in what marked his fourth career 50-point game. The performance fell just two shy of his personal best of 55. Jokic supported with 23 points, a game-high 21 rebounds and a season-best 19 assists, falling one assist short of an unprecedented 20-20-20 stat line. During the second quarter, Jokic notched his 6,000th career assist by setting up Murray for a layup.
The Nuggets built a 13-point lead by late in the third quarter, but Dallas clawed back to trail 93-92. Jokic responded with six points and three assists over the final 2:51 of the period, pushing Denver ahead 111-100 entering the fourth. In the closing minutes, Jokic drained an 8-foot floater, assisted Peyton Watson on a corner three, and connected with Murray on a three-pointer and a 19-foot step-back jumper to seal a 138-128 advantage.
For the Mavericks, rookie Cooper Flagg led with 26 points, showing poise with pullup jumpers and drives. Naji Marshall added 22 points, but Dallas could not overcome defensive lapses. The loss extended their skid to five straight games and marked their 24th defeat in 28 outings since late January.
Murray’s hot shooting and Jokic’s all-around mastery highlighted Denver’s backcourt-frontcourt synergy, often hailed as one of the league’s most potent pairings. Murray also grabbed six rebounds and dished four assists, thriving on the second night of a back-to-back. Key contributions came from Watson and Cameron Johnson, who hit timely threes off Jokic passes.
The victory gives the Nuggets four wins in a row, bolstering their position in the Western Conference playoff race. Dallas, meanwhile, continues to search for consistency amid their prolonged slump.
Jamal Murray had his 2nd 50-point game of the season: 53 PTS (19/28 FG)!
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) March 26, 2026
Jokic had his 30th triple double of the season: 23 PTS, 21 REB (season high), 19 AST (season high)pic.twitter.com/vTjLnA3k48 https://t.co/JERmjlwKuu
