Denver Nuggets vs Indiana Pacers Match Player Stats On Jan 02, 2020

Michael Porter Jr. scored a career-high 25 points, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray had 22 each, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 124-116 in Indianapolis on Thursday night.

Porter hit 11 of 12 attempts from the field, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range, and committed just one turnover in 23 minutes. Will Barton added 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Denver.

Jeremy Lamb had a game-high 30 points on 9-of-13 shooting, Myles Turner added 21 points, T.J. Warren scored 20 and Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and nine rebounds for Indiana.

The Pacers played without guard Malcolm Brogdon, who was ruled out with a sore lower back. Brogdon missed three games in December with a hamstring injury.

Denver trailed by as many as 14 in the first quarter and by 64-62 at halftime. It didn't take its first lead until Gary Harris hit a 3-pointer to make it 73-70 three minutes after intermission.

The lead traded hands several times, but Monte Morris hit a 3-pointer and a jumper at the end of the third to give the Nuggets a 92-88 lead heading into the fourth.

Porter scored twice to give Denver a 100-91 lead. Indiana cut it to four on a three-point play, but Denver responded by going to Jokic, who scored the next six points for the Nuggets.

The lead was four points again, but Porter hit a layup, Murray made a jumper and Jokic scored on a tip-in to make it a 117-107.

Indiana got within six with 50 seconds left and had a chance to get closer, but Aaron Holiday missed a jumper and Denver closed it out at the line.

Lamb and Warren led Indiana in the first half, scoring 18 and 14, respectively.

Murray's 17 points kept the Nuggets close and made up for a quiet half by Jokic. The center scored just two points and played just 8:10 due to foul trouble, but Denver was able to cut the gap before the break.

Down 58-50 after Warren's jumper, the Nuggets closed the half on a 12-6 run and nearly took the lead when Paul Millsap rebounded a missed free throw by Mason Plumlee and launched a 30-footer at the horn, but it was blocked by Myles Turner.

--Field Level Media