Bad Fourth Quarter Costs Mavericks Against Nuggets, Nikola Jokic, 112-101

Dallas scored just 12 points in the fourth quarter as they let go of a chance to beat the Nuggets

Jan 12, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) moves the ball past Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (42) and forward P.J. Washington (25) during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks hosted the Denver Nuggets on Sunday afternoon, the first of two straight home games against the Nuggets. Dallas is still down their two biggest stars as Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic recover from injuries, but Denver got Aaron Gordon back for this game after missing the last nine games with a calf strain.

Dallas started Spencer Dinwiddie, Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively II. Denver rolled with Russell Westbrook, Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Michael Porter Jr., and Nikola Jokic as their opening five.

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It was a 6-0 start for the Mavs as they attacked Nikola Jokic from the jump on both ends, giving Dereck Lively II the ball down low and showing Jokic multiple defenders on the other side. Naji Marshall also had a hot start, scoring seven of the first 11 points for the Mavs, picking Jamal Murray's pocket, and kicking ahead to Klay Thompson in transition for three to give Dallas an early 14-3 lead to force a timeout from Nuggets coach Michael Malone.

That three by Thompson were the first of a personal 8-0 run as the Mavericks opened up a 16-point lead. A Nugget not named Nikola Jokic didn't score until Michael Porter Jr. tipped in an offensive rebound with 5:34 to go in the quarter. Denver was able to open up some scoring by forcing turnovers and bad misses to get out in transition, but the Mavs had a massive advantage from three-point range in the first, allowing them to take a 32-17 lead into the second quarter, the lowest for the Nuggets for a first quarter all season. Dallas was 5/7 from three in the first twelve minutes while Denver was 0/6.

Denver's first three of the game brought them within 11 2:30 into the second quarter, then got it back into single digits on their next possession despite Nikola Jokic being on the bench, something that has been an issue for them all season. Klay Thompson's fourth three-pointer of the game helped push the lead back to 10 midway through the period.

The Nuggets then worked the lead down to six after some free throws by Jokic, answered by Maxi Kleber's second three-pointer of the game. Spencer Dinwiddie converted an and-one to briefly give them a 10-point lead, but Michael Porter Jr. hit a three, then got out for a fastbreak layup to trim the lead to five. The lead continued to dwindle, with the Mavericks taking just a 61-58 lead into halftime.

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Denver scored the first four points of the second half to give them their first lead of the game, albeit a brief one. That seemed to wake the Mavericks up, as they responded with a 10-2 run to immediately go back up by seven. Klay Thompson then hit back-to-back jumpers to go up 12 following a challenge from Jason Kidd on an out-of-bounds call.

Klay Thompson hit another three as part of a 15-0 run for the Mavericks to go up by 19. Denver got themselves back into it with a quick 8-0 run as Dallas had a brief scoreless stretch, but the Mavs were still able to take an 89-79 into the final frame.

Jamal Murray had a slow start to the game but was firing on all cylinders by the start of the fourth, as he and Aaron Gordon immediately trimmed the lead to two in the first few minutes of the fourth. This was one of the rare games where Denver was able to have an advantage when Jokic was on the bench, as they'd tie the game a few possessions later. P.J. Washington retook the lead briefly before Jamal Murray converted an and-one to give Denver the lead again, 94-93.

Dereck Lively II picked up his fifth foul on a rip-through by Jokic, forcing Dallas to change their defensive game plan against the reigning MVP. They now had P.J. Washington on him and Lively on Russell Westbrook while still trying to double Jokic on the catch. It took a few minutes for Dallas to adjust to that, as Peyton Watson hit a three to go up 104-99, followed by Michael Porter Jr. leaking out for a layup to extend the lead to seven with 2:21 left.

Dallas just ran out of offense down the stretch, and Jokic and Westbrook were playing well off each other as the Nuggets went on to win 112-101, with the Mavericks scoring just 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with 25 points and six rebounds with a 6/13 performance from behind the arc. Spencer Dinwiddie had his first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 assists, but he shot just 4/13 from the floor and got most of his points from the line. Naji Marshall (16 points, three steals) and Dereck Lively II (14 points, eight assists, and five rebounds) were also in double-figures.

Dallas did an okay job of limiting Nikola Jokic (19 points, 18 rebounds, nine assists), but the depth of Denver stepped up around Jokic. Russell Westbrook led the Nuggets with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, finding a lot of success late, cutting off-ball to the rim with Jokic finding him. Jamal Murray (17 points), Michael Porter Jr. (13), Aaron Gordon (13), and Peyton Watson (10) were also all in double-figures for the Nuggets.

These two will play again in Dallas on Tuesday night.

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