NEW YORK — Reminiscing about the Knicks’ visit to Denver two months ago, Michael Malone gave a slightly embarrassed chuckle.
“They looked really together when we played early in the year,” the 10th-year Nuggets coach said. “I mean, they looked really together.”
New York scored 145 at Ball Arena that night, causing Malone to blast his team’s effort. This time, facing the new-look Knicks with half a season of continuity and a raucous Madison Square Garden environment at their back, the Nuggets scrapped and clawed to stay in the game. But it was to no avail in a 122-112 loss Wednesday night.
Jamal Murray scored 33 efficient points, but Nikola Jokic was quiet with 17 on 15 shots. He also went for just six rebounds and six assists, low marks for him on a night he didn’t play out of the post often. Jalen Brunson led New York with 30. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a double-double.
The Nuggets (28-19) have the fourth-ranked offense in the NBA, but they’re now 0-5 against the top three. They fell behind by 12 early in the fourth quarter of this one, then fell short trying to mount a comeback. Michael Porter Jr. missed an open corner three that would have made it a one-possession game with four minutes remaining, and the Knicks capitalized, getting the lead back to 10 a minute later.
Now 0-3 in a long and winding road trip, Denver will go to Philadelphia on Friday.
After his last eight appearances were off the bench, Aaron Gordon returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Christmas, replacing Christian Braun while opening-day sixth man Russell Westbrook stayed in the lineup. But the Nuggets were forced off-script almost immediately when Jokic picked up his first two fouls on the same possession, struggling to guard Towns. Braun was at the scorer’s table 90 seconds into the first quarter. Gordon took a shift at center.
The game almost got out of hand. New York quickly went up 22-10. Denver was loose with the ball. Decision-making was disastrous. Porter missed a highly contested 3-pointer and then didn’t hustle back, giving up a run-out dunk to Anunoby. Murray got pick-pocketed by Mikal Bridges. Westbrook air-balled a corner three.
Then, slowly, the Nuggets crept back with effort plays. Julian Strawther held his ground in the post against Anunoby and blocked his shot. Murray blocked Hart. Westbrook fought for his life on the offensive glass. When Murray buried the team’s first three just before the first-quarter buzzer, the Nuggets were suddenly down only 31-27. Malone was able to leave Jokic on the bench for his usual sub pattern to start the second. Denver briefly tied it before a swift 6-0 New York run got Jokic out of his seat.
By the time he was back on the floor, Towns had also caught and passed him with three fouls. Bridges had two of his own. Both coaches successfully utilized challenges in the first half, irked by a tightly and often incorrectly officiated contest. That favored the Nuggets, ultimately. They attempted 16 free throws in the half, mucking up the game without Jokic. The Knicks took 12 but missed half of them.
Foul trouble came back to haunt Denver in unexpected ways after halftime, though. Murray was just getting hot, splashing jumpers to lead a 20-6 run when he picked up his third and fourth fouls in quick succession. The Knicks punished Denver for his absence with an 8-0 run to get even at 74. They led 93-86 by the end of the third.
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