NBA

Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets

· National Basketball Association
7-15, 3-6 Away
Final
131 - 121

14-6, 6-4 Home

Anthony Davis has 32 points as Mavericks beat Nuggets 131-121

AD leads Dallas to comeback win with double-double vs. Denver

Rookie Ryan Nembhard had 28 points and 10 assist, both career bests, to help Dallas win consecutive games for the first time this season. Cooper Flagg added 24 points for Dallas, which hit 16 of 31 shots from 3-point range.

The loss was the fourth straight at home for Denver, three of them against teams without winning records. It also spoiled a career night for Spencer Jones, who had 28 points, and Nikola Jokic's 11th triple-double of the season. He finished with 29 points, a season-high 20 rebounds and 13 assists.

The already short-handed Nuggets played the fourth quarter without Jamal Murray, who was slow going to the locker room at halftime. He went to the floor in the first minute of the third quarter, hung back at the defensive end and then walked gingerly to the locker room but returned a few minutes later.

Davis missed 14 games before returning against the Lakers on Friday night. He sat out Saturday night for maintenance but looked dominant in his seventh game of the season. He grabbed 13 rebounds to tie his season high.

The Nuggets led by 17 early in the first half but were outscored 42-27 in the second quarter, the third time in the last six home quarters they allowed 41 or more.

The Mavericks trailed by four with 9:31 left but used an 18-5 run to lead 129-117 with 1:29 left. Denver missed 10 straight shots, six from 3-point range, until Peyton Watson scored two straight baskets.

Up next Mavericks: Host the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

Nuggets: Begin a four-game road trip at Indiana on Wednesday night.

Regular Season Series

DAL leads series 1-0

Recent Plays

4th 0.0 End of Game 131 - 121
4th 0.0 End of the 4th Quarter 131 - 121
4th 23.1 Nikola Jokic bad pass (Cooper Flagg steals) 131 - 121
4th 27.5 Nikola Jokic defensive rebound 131 - 121
4th 31.4 Anthony Davis misses 30-foot three point step back jumpshot 131 - 121

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/dal.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originDAL https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/den.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originDEN
53-95 FG 47-99
56 Field Goal % 47
16-31 3PT 12-37
52 Three Point % 32
9-14 FT 15-18
64 Free Throw % 83
43 Rebounds 47
7 Offensive Rebounds 12
36 Defensive Rebounds 35
35 Assists 37
4 Steals 5
4 Blocks 5
8 Turnovers 7
0 Team Turnovers 1
8 Total Turnovers 8
0 Technical Fouls 2
0 Total Technical Fouls 2
0 Flagrant Fouls 0
13 Points Conceded Off Turnovers 13
18 Fast Break Points 11
54 Points in Paint 60
19 Fouls 11
12 Largest Lead 17
Denver Nuggets Denver Nuggets Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Jonas Valanciunas, C Day-To-Day Dec 25
Cameron Johnson, F Out Dec 25
Tamar Bates, G Out Dec 22
Christian Braun, G Out Dec 13
Aaron Gordon, F Out Dec 9
Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Dereck Lively II, C Out Dec 21
Kyrie Irving, G Out Dec 13
Dante Exum, G Out Nov 20

Game Information

Ball Arena

Location: Denver, CO
Attendance: 19,587 · Capacity:

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
San Antonio 23 7 .767 - W8
Houston 17 10 .630 4.5 L2
Memphis 14 16 .467 9 W1
Dallas 12 19 .387 11.5 W1
New Orleans 8 23 .258 15.5 L1

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
Oklahoma City 26 5 .839 - L2
Denver 21 8 .724 4 L1
Minnesota 20 10 .667 5.5 W3
Portland 12 18 .400 13.5 L2
Utah 10 19 .345 15 L4
Full Standings

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