ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 31 points and the Denver Nuggets shut down the Orlando Magic in overtime for their seventh straight victory, 124-118 on Wednesday night.
After Terence Ross tied it for Orlando with a 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets outscored the Magic 9-2 until Nikola Vucevic dunked for the Magic’s first field goal of the overtime session with just 1:04 left.
Paul Millsap added 18 points for Denver, and center Nikola Jokic had 12 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists.
Evan Fournier led Orlando with 26 points before fouling out in overtime. Nikola Vucevic added 24 points and 15 rebounds.Orlando made 20 of 43 3-pointers during regulation against the NBA’s best 3-point defense, but the Magic made only one of nine shots in overtime and missed all six of their 3-pointers.
The Nuggets made nine of their fist 12 shots and broke out to a 22-10 lead, but Aaron Gordon scored 13 straight Magic points, including three 3-pointers, to get Orlando back in it.
Mo Bamba’s 3-pointer put the Magic ahead 41-39 midway through the second quarter, and Evan Fournier made four of Orlando’s eight threes in the third quarter to help the Magic push the lead to as many as six points.
But Trey Lyles and Malik Beasley combined for three 3-pointers to quickly erase that lead.
Denver took a five-point lead in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, but Ross tied it 112-112 with a 3-pointer. Murray missed a short jumper just before the buzzer, taking the game into overtime.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: G Gary Harris missed the entire game after injuring his right hip in the first quarter Monday night at Toronto. The Nuggets have not ruled him out for Friday night’s game at Charlotte. ... The Nuggets missed 14 free throws, six more than the Magic attempted.
Magic: A day after holding the Heat to just five free throws in a game at Miami, the Magic shot no free throws until Jonathan Isaac made two at 9:13 of the fourth quarter. ... Ross had 17 points, his average over the last seven games.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: At Charlotte on Friday night.
Magic: Host Indiana on Friday night.
