Field Level Media
Jan 9, 2021
Gary Harris scored 21 points and Nikola Jokic added 15 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds as the visiting Denver Nuggets posted a 115-103 win over the depleted Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.
Jamal Murray and Will Barton had 14 points apiece for the Nuggets, who broke open a close game after halftime. JaMychal Green and Monte Morris added 12 points apiece.
Rookie Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with a career-high 39 points on 18-of-33 shooting, Isaiah Joe added 13 and Dakota Mathias had 12.
Tony Bradley came off the thin bench to supply 11 points and 15 rebounds while Dwight Howard added 11 and 11, respectively. Danny Green also had 11 points for a Philadelphia team that played only seven players.
The Sixers, who lost their second in a row, had their 20-game winning streak in Philadelphia snapped. Their last home loss came on Dec. 20, 2019.
The Sixers played without Seth Curry, who tested positive for COVID-19 during Thursday's loss at Brooklyn.
A number of other players were ruled out against the Nuggets due to health and safety protocols, including Tobias Harris, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle. Joel Embiid (back) and Ben Simmons (knee) were already out.
The Sixers trailed only 28-26 after the first quarter thanks in large part to the first three 3-pointers of Joe's career.
Denver pulled away with a late 13-6 run in the second to take a 58-51 lead at halftime.
Maxey kept the Sixers close with 22 points on 11-of-19 shooting.
Harris paced the Nuggets with three treys and 15 points.
The Nuggets used a 13-3 spurt to pull ahead 75-58 with 7:33 left in the third. They took advantage of the undermanned Sixers, especially when Howard picked up his fourth foul less than five minutes into the third.
Denver jumped out to a 93-72 advantage at the end of the third after Morris' runner in the lane dropped in.
The Nuggets had little trouble in the fourth as they maintained a large double-digit lead on their way to a road victory.
--Field Level Media