The Brooklyn Nets took advantage of Nikola Jokic’s absence to defeat the Denver Nuggets with a score of 127-115 this Sunday, while the Detroit Pistons achieved an important 114-110 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers, in a day of eight games in the NBA.
Nets Dominate Nuggets Without Jokic
In Brooklyn, the team led by Spaniard Jordi Fernández defeated a Nuggets team that played its third consecutive game without Jokic, who will be out for at least a month due to a hyperextension in his left knee. Despite the return of two important starters, Denver showed difficulties without its key figure.
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 27 points and set a new personal record by dishing out 16 assists. Christian Braun, who returned after missing 23 games due to an ankle injury, contributed only three points in 24 minutes, while Aaron Gordon, back after 19 games out with hamstring issues, added 20 points in just 21 minutes of play.
The standout player of the night was Michael Porter Jr., now with the Nets, who faced his former team for the first time. The forward had an outstanding performance with 27 points and 11 rebounds, solidifying himself as Brooklyn’s main offensive reference. Since his arrival, Porter Jr. has increased his scoring average from 18.2 points last season to 25.8 in the current one.
Backed by effective perimeter shooting, the Nets scored 14 three-pointers out of 33 attempts, achieving 42% effectiveness, sealing the match against a Nuggets team that, although they remain third in the Western Conference, are beginning to feel the absence of their star.
Detroit Wins in Cleveland
In Cleveland, the Pistons confirmed their good form by defeating the Cavaliers 114-110 and solidifying their position at the top of the Eastern Conference. Cade Cunningham was again the star of the visiting team, recording 27 points and seven assists.
From the bench, Daniss Jenkins offered a key performance by scoring 25 points in just 25 minutes, including 21 in a perfect second quarter, in which he made six three-pointers without missing. That partial allowed Detroit to build a 13-point lead that they knew how to manage in the final stretch of the game.
For the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell was the top scorer with 30 points, followed by Darius Garland, who contributed 16. Cleveland continues to fall in the standings and now occupies the eighth position in the East, recently surpassed by the Miami Heat.
Pacers Deepen Their Crisis
The day also left a new defeat for the Indiana Pacers, current NBA runners-up, who fell 135-127 to the Orlando Magic and added their twelfth consecutive defeat, equaling the worst streak in the history of the franchise.
Indiana, with a 6-30 record, has the worst record in the league. Without their star Tyrese Haliburton, out for the season due to injury, Pascal Siakam stood out with 34 points, although it was not enough to stop a Magic team led by Desmond Bane, who scored 31 points, and a devastating 17-0 run in the second quarter.
