A road to ruin? Nuggets again fall short
MAVERICKS 122, NUGGETS 105
DALLAS» Without standout big men Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap, the Nuggets displayed grit and resolve in the second half of home victories against the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers.
But in its 11th game away from the Pepsi Center, Denver could not overcome a flat start in a 122105 loss at the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night at American Airlines Center.
“We can’t let teams hit us first,” point guard Jamal Murray said. “They hit us first, and we hit back too late. The game was already over.”
It was a case of different location, same result for the 10-13 Nuggets. Denver dropped to 3-8 on the road, a mark that continues to be the most perplexing development of the early season.
The Nuggets trimmed a 25point first-half deficit to eight in the final minutes of the third quarter and to 10 on two occasions in the fourth period. But a first quarter described in the locker room as “lackadaisical” and “sluggish” doomed Denver, as the Mavericks’ lead rapidly surpassed 20 points.
Rookie point guard Dennis Smith (20 points, five rebounds) zoomed to the rim with ease, Harrison Barnes (22 points, 10 rebounds) knocked down shots from all over the floor and Wesley Matthews (15 points) and Devin Harris (14 points) got free from 3-point land. Those performances propelled Dallas (7-17) to shoot 57 percent from the floor, rack up 64 points in the paint and sink 12-of-26 attempts from behind the arc.
“Our one-on-one defense was not where it needed to be,” coach Michael Malone said. “They get their 3s from dribble penetration. When you can’t guard their guards and they live in the paint for scores and they live in the paint for kick-out 3s, they got everything tonight. You’re not going to beat anybody when you’re giving up that kind of productivity in the paint and behind the arc.”
Added Murray: “They basically just got what they wanted, and we didn’t stop them for a long time.”
Denver made its push by outscoring the Mavericks 35-29 in the third quarter. But when Will
Barton’s 3-pointer got the Nuggets within 88-80 with 2:05 left in the period, Yogi Ferrell answered with a tough pull-up jumper. Then when a Murray floater reduced Dallas’ advantage to 90-82, Harrison Barnes responded by drilling a jumper and Dwight Powell made 1-of-2 free throws to give Dallas to re- gain control heading into the final period.
The Mavericks then started the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run, capped by a jumper by future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki to put Dallas up 101-84 with 10:13 to play. An old-fashioned threepoint play by Ferrell that gave Dallas a 115-100 lead with less than four minutes to play all but clinched the victory.
“It took us a while to start making shots and get going,” said reserve big man Trey Lyles, who finished with seven points and six rebounds. “By the time we did, it was too late.”
Barton led Denver with 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists off the bench, while Murray scored 22 and Gary Harris added 21.
The Mavericks have been playing much better of late. Still, Dallas entered Monday with the worst record in the West.
Now the Mavericks have joined the growing list of opponents who have convincingly topped Denver on their home floor.
It was a case of different location, same result for the Nuggets. And they lost the game in the first quarter.
“As valiant of an effort that it was after that,” Malone said, “you can’t dig yourself that kind of hole and expect to win on the road.”