Inside The Nuggets

The Good, Bad & Ugly From Nuggets' Heartbreaking Loss to Magic

The Denver Nuggets suffered a crushing loss to the Orlando Magic.
Logan Struck|
Dec 25, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) reacts against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Ball Arena.
Dec 25, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) reacts against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Ball Arena. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Denver NuggetsOrlando Magic

The Denver Nuggets suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday, falling 127-126 to kick off their seven-game road trip. This was a crushing loss for Denver, blowing a 17-point lead before Desmond Bane hit the go-ahead free throws with just five seconds left to lift the Magic to a win.

Then, with the game on the line, Jamal Murray's mid-range game-winner attempt rimmed out. This was the second time in the past week that a Nuggets' buzzer-beating game-winner attempt rimmed out, as they have now suffered their last two losses by a combined two points.

This was a far-from-ideal loss for the Nuggets, as they practically had the game in their hands before crumbling. Here are the good, the bad, and the ugly from Denver's one-point loss in Orlando on Saturday.

The Good - Individual performances

Despite the loss, three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic dropped 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 12 assists on 11-22 shooting from the field. Jokic is on a complete tear, and he did all he could on Saturday night to keep Denver afloat on the road.

Tim Hardaway Jr., who is filling in for an injured Cam Johnson in the starting lineup, finished with 20 points on 6-14 shooting from the field and 4-12 from deep. Each of Denver's five starters dropped 14+ points, while Julian Strawther came off the bench to contribute 13 points on 5-6 shooting.

Overall, the Nuggets had a fine performance, shooting 51% from the field, but managed to stumble into a loss.

The Bad - How long can they play down three starters?

With Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, and Christian Braun all sidelined, Denver's depth is significantly tested, and Saturday's game showed that they might not be ready to play without three starters.

Sure, Denver still performed well, but their bench is completely different when three typical second-unit guys have to slide into the starting lineup. When they play without three starters, they go from one of the NBA's deepest teams to one of the most top-heavy, and it completely changed their outlook.

Luckily, Gordon and Braun should be inching closer to their return, and the Nuggets are certainly hoping that is the case because they need them back on the floor.

The Ugly - 4Q defense

What happened in the fourth quarter? The Nuggets gave up 43 points in the final period, allowing Magic star Desmond Bane to drop 15 on 3-5 shooting from the field and 9-9 from the free-throw line.

Of course, the Nuggets' defense has not been their calling card this season, but allowing 43 points in the fourth quarter is unacceptable and the direct cause of this crushing loss on Saturday.

Second-year guard Anthony Black finished the game with a career-high 38 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, shooting 7-11 from three-point range. The Nuggets' first-half defense was not too bad, but they completely collapsed in the second half to allow the Magic to come back and win.

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Logan Struck
LOGAN STRUCK

Logan Struck is a writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's On SI since 2023

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