New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets Match Player Stats On Dec 15, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 15, 2017

DENVER -- Will Barton scored 11 of his 19 points in overtime in his return to the lineup, and the Denver Nuggets rallied from 18 points down to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 117-111 on Friday night.

Gary Harris had 21 points, Trey Lyles scored 14 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and Nikola Jokic had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets (16-13) in his first game back after missing seven with a sprained left ankle.

DeMarcus Cousins scored 29 points, Anthony Davis had 28 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, and Jrue Holiday scored 25 points for the Pelicans (15-15).

Jokic received an ovation when he checked into the game with 5:32 left in the first quarter but sat most of the fourth quarter and overtime. Barton picked up the slack after missing Wednesday's game with a back injury.

Davis gave the Pelicans the lead to start overtime and then Barton took over. He hit a 3-pointer, a floater in the lane and a fast-break dunk to give Denver a 111-108 lead with 1:33 left.

Davis' layup made it a one-point game, but another 3-pointer from Barton made it 114-110. Jamal Murray hit two free throws and Cousins was fouled on a 3-point attempt. He split the first two and intentionally missed the third foul shot, but Denver got possession and closed it out.

The Nuggets rallied from 16 down in the second half to take the lead with a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter. The Pelicans got a scare when Davis stepped on Mason Plumlee's foot and rolled his left ankle. He stayed in the game and scored four straight points to tie it at 100.

The lead changed hands twice in the final minute, and the game went to overtime after Holiday missed a jumper at the horn to send it to overtime tied at 104.

NOTES: Pelicans G Jrue Holiday was well short of his season high of 37 points. His career high is 38. ... Nuggets G Emmanuel Mudiay left the game with a sprained right ankle and didn't return. Mudiay was injured in the second quarter and finished with four points in eight minutes. ... New Orleans G E'Twaun Moore came in averaging 19.6 points on 63.3 percent shooting from the field and 67.4 percent 3 point shooting in December. He scored only four points against Denver. ... Nuggets F Torrey Craig was recalled from Sioux Falls of the G-League and made his first career start.