NBA roundup: Jamal Murray scores 53 points as Nuggets outlast Mavericks

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/murray-jamal/Ig5nQrEF/"]Murray[/a] posted his second 50-point game of the season and three-time NBA Most Valuable Player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jokic-nikola/dUHaiJ5n/"]Jokic[/a] added 23 points, 21 rebounds and 19 assists.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denver-nuggets/CxvW27TI/"]Denver[/a] led by as many as 13 in the third quarter, but the Mavs pulled within one, at 127-126, with 4:20 left to play.[/p][embed guid="c0af4b23-8d3e-4725-a787-782f9e731515" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA16UwugyNM" social-type="youtube" /][p]Jokic made a floater, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/watson-peyton/ptS0amrc/"]Peyton Watson[/a] and Murray drilled three-pointers and the Nuggets pulled away again to hand the Mavs - led by rookie [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/flagg-cooper/dInnahrB/"]Cooper Flagg[/a]'s 26 points - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/dallas-mavericks-YouS3mEC/denver-nuggets-CxvW27TI/?mid=jRG3XTfS"]a fifth straight defeat[/a].[/p][p]The Nuggets remain neck and neck with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-timberwolves/KjBIVQcI/"]Minnesota Timberwolves[/a] for fourth place in the Western Conference.[/p][p]The Timberwolves overcame a 13-point deficit in overtime to beat the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-rockets/Sr9PQALP/"]Houston Rockets[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/houston-rockets-Sr9PQALP/minnesota-timberwolves-KjBIVQcI/?mid=UBSfZkQF"]110-108[/a].[/p][embed guid="baf3944a-19bc-475a-8cbf-0827574c1e6f" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFzF9OQXRA0" social-type="youtube" /][p]Philadelphia 76ers stars [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/embiid-joel/G2hZm0nI/"]Joel Embiid[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/george-paul/KOvfaZVQ/"]Paul George[/a] made triumphant returns Wednesday, combining for 63 points in the Sixers' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/chicago-bulls-bPjc49q0/philadelphia-76ers-vwRW2QSh/?mid=8QDCZbKb"]157-137[/a] NBA victory over the Chicago Bulls.[/p][p]Former NBA Most Valuable Player Embiid showed no sign of rust after missing 13 games with an oblique strain, scoring 35 points - including 15 of the Sixers' first 19 as they seized control with a 38-point first quarter.[/p][p]George, returning from a 25-game suspension for taking a medication that violated the league's anti-drug program, took longer to warm up, scoring 23 of his 28 in the second half.[/p][p]George finished with six three-pointers and Embiid made all three of his from beyond the arc on an efficient 12-of-17 shooting performance.[/p][embed guid="20936ab7-d3a4-4ed0-8622-61bcf275b616" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2036984155083358534?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Embiid added six rebounds and seven assists and the duo showed just how big a playoff threat the Sixers could be if both stay healthy.[/p][p]They're seventh in the East, a fraction behind the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-hawks/xAO4gBas/"]Atlanta Hawks[/a] for sixth and the last direct entry spot to the playoffs.[/p][p]The Hawks, with 27 points apiece from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mccollum-c-j/tl29t9eg/"]CJ McCollum[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnson-jalen/St5Wx0bR/"]Jalen Johnson[/a], downed Eastern Conference leaders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Detroit[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/atlanta-hawks-xAO4gBas/detroit-pistons-UcjMRj6J/?mid=dnpfHH4U"]130-129 in overtime.[/a][/p][p]Western Conference leaders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/?mid=fsCKXxkB"]also fell[/a], their 12-game winning streak snapped by the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Celtics[/a] in Boston.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-jaylen/l88NjhUb/"]Jaylen Brown[/a] scored 31 points and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tatum-jayson/t4Y4e7r0/"]Jayson Tatum[/a] added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Celtics, who trailed by 13 in the first quarter.[/p][p]Reigning MVP [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilgeous-alexander-shai/d6TE5wgc/"]Shai Gilgeous[/a]-Alexander scored 33 points, making 10 of his 12 attempts from the field for the Thunder.[/p][p]He handed out eight assists but had little scoring support as center [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/holmgren-chet/WxvJz45d/"]Chet Holmgren[/a] scored just 10 points and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-jalen/4G5tbqUi/"]Jalen Williams[/a] added seven.[/p][p]"[b]We were able to keep them off the free throw line and we were able to keep them out of transition,[/b]" Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. "[b]When you do those things, the game will just take care of itself.[/b]"[/p][p]The Pistons, still without star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cunningham-cade/0YleT8PG/"]Cade Cunningham[/a] as he recovers from a collapsed lung, stumbled at home.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duren-jalen/xva6ve5b/"]Jalen Duren[/a] scored 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Pistons, who trailed by as many as 21 before forcing overtime.[/p][p]In a game that featured 13 lead changes, McCollum converted a three-point play midway through the extra session to put the Hawks ahead for good.[/p][h2]Doncic leads Lakers[/h2][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Los Angeles Lakers[/a] bounced back from their defeat in Detroit on Monday [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/indiana-pacers-YPohMUTt/los-angeles-lakers-ngegZ8bg/?mid=nBP3yLkn"]with a 137-130 victory[/a] over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/indiana-pacers/YPohMUTt/"]Indiana Pacers[/a] in Indianapolis.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doncic-luka/pQ4ZBK0o/"]Luka Doncic[/a] scored 43 points with six rebounds and seven assists and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-lebron/nuIVxFJk/"]LeBron James[/a] added a near triple-double of 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/austin-reaves/xlCMu1nk/"]Austin Reaves[/a] chipped in 25 points.[/p][p]The Lakers led by as many as 29 points. They were up by 23 early in the fourth quarter before the Pacers cut the deficit to nine.[/p][embed guid="200387c0-68d2-4a88-8425-a0e1956cc352" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2036989159240306848?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Two free throws apiece from James and Doncic and a dunk from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/laravia-jake/hOdkR2aU/"]Jake LaRavia[/a] pushed the lead back to double digits, before a last-gasp three-pointer from Indiana's Obi Toppin.[/p][p]Lakers coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mandaquit-jj/SMfOfbV8/"]JJ Redick[/a] was delighted with his team's performance in the last game of a six-game road trip against a Pacers team that plays with a "relentless" pace.[/p][p]"[b]I thought our guys really did a lot of great things,[/b]" Redick said.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/basketball/usa/nba/"]Follow all of the NBA action on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]