Cleveland Cavaliers Set NBA Records with 149 Points and 23 Three-pointers, While Denver Nuggets' Jokic and Murray Give Their All in a Revealing Loss
On December 28th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with the Denver Nuggets visiting the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers, reigning as the league's dominant force, sought revenge after the Nuggets had previously defeated them in their first encounter of the season. The Cavaliers unleashed a relentless offensive assault, scoring an impressive 80 points in the first half and establishing a significant 21-point lead. Despite the Nuggets' efforts to match the Cavaliers' intensity in the second half, the Cavaliers maintained control of the game with their scorching three-point shooting accuracy. Ultimately, the Cavaliers secured a comfortable victory over the Nuggets with a final score of 149-135.
The Nuggets were without their key player, Gordon, due to injury, prompting Coach Malone to once again promote Westbrook to the starting lineup. In the face of the formidable league leaders, the Nuggets displayed almost their strongest offensive performance of the season: 39 out of 53 field goals were assisted, with a field goal percentage of 56.4%, and they made 15 three-pointers at a 48.4% clip. However, the Cavaliers, who ranked first in the league in offensive efficiency, shooting percentage, three-point percentage, and true shooting percentage, were more than ready for the challenge. They scored 54 field goals with 40 assists, achieving a field goal percentage of 56.3% and making 23 three-pointers at a 47.9% rate, effortlessly matching the Nuggets' high-level offensive output.
The Cavaliers had a balanced scoring effort with six players scoring in double figures. Notably, Mitchell scored 33 points with 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 three-pointers; Garland contributed 25 points, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 2 three-pointers; Allen had 22 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals; and Mobley added 26 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 three-pointers. Besides Allen, all nine other Cavaliers' rotational players made at least one three-pointer, completely dismantling the Nuggets' defense. Additionally, the Cavaliers broke several NBA records. Their 149 points marked the highest single-game total for the season. Moreover, this was the fourth consecutive game in which the Cavaliers made at least 20 three-pointers, setting a new team record. They also became the second team in NBA history to achieve this feat, following the championship-winning Celtics of the 23-24 season.
Despite the Cavaliers' display of their strongest offensive power this season, the Nuggets managed to keep the game suspenseful, largely due to the combined efforts of Jokic and Murray, who took charge of the team's offense. Jokic recorded a triple-double with 27 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and 3 steals. Despite being targeted by the Cavaliers' twin towers of Mobley and Allen, Jokic demonstrated his exceptional ability to adapt and excel. This was his 12th triple-double of the season, the most in the league! Murray also had a comprehensive performance with 27 points, 3 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 steals. Against his old rival Mitchell, Murray repeatedly hit unreasonable mid-to-long-range shots, reminiscent of his peak form!
From initially toppling the league-leading Cavaliers at the start of the season to now struggling to match up against them, the Nuggets should be grateful to the Cavaliers for revealing the gap between themselves and championship contenders. They are not yet capable of winning four games against such opponents in a series! Coach Malone astutely pointed out that the Cavaliers can shoot from both their starters and bench, making it incredibly difficult to defend against them. Jokic, reflecting on the team's inconsistent performance this season, candidly stated: "We're terrible. We need to start thinking about what I can do for the team, rather than what the team can do to help me!" Although the Jokic-Murray duo remains a solid foundation, the Nuggets' roster depth is far from comparable to their opponents. It might be better for them to proactively seek change rather than live in constant fear.
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