It felt like a late-January pick-me-up for basketball fans. Philadelphia and Denver, two clubs heading in opposite directions record-wise, put on a show that finished 137-134 for the reigning champs from Colorado. Inside a sold-out Wells Fargo Center (19,764 people made plenty of noise), the Nuggets survived a Tyrese Maxey explosion thanks to a go-ahead three from Nikola Jokić with 39 seconds left, then closed the door at the foul line.
How the score grew
1st quarter – trading buckets (DEN 38, PHI 36)
Both sides shot over 60 percent in the opening 12 minutes. Jokić opened with a soft hook, Maxey answered with a step-back triple, and the pace never slowed. Denver finished the frame 6-of-8 from deep, yet Philly stayed within two because Kelly Oubre Jr. attacked the rim four straight trips.
2nd quarter – bench spark (DEN 73, PHI 69)
Aaron Gordon rested, so Michael Porter Jr. and rookie Julian Strawther carried Denver’s offense. Strawther drilled back-to-back threes from either corner, part of an 18-point night on 6-of-7 shooting. Christian Braun’s hustle board set up the last make of the half, and the visitors jogged to the locker room up four. Philly’s reply came from Guerschon Yabusele, who poured in 12 in the period on an efficient 5-of-6 clip.
3rd quarter – Maxey catches fire (DEN 103, PHI 100)
Maxey has always been streaky, and this stretch was vintage. The guard piled up 19 points in eight minutes, burying three triples and finishing two coast-to-coast layups. Jokić stayed patient, orchestrating seven assists in the quarter to keep Denver narrowly ahead. The crowd sensed momentum had shifted.
4th quarter – clutch time
With 1:02 left, the scoreboard showed 134-134. Jokić backed down Yabusele, spun, kicked to Jamal Murray, then slipped behind the arc. Murray whipped it back and the two-time MVP calmly splashed a top-of-key three—his second of the night—to break the tie. Philly had three looks in the final 20 seconds, but Maxey’s runner rimmed out and the Nuggets escaped.
Nuggets numbers at a glance
| Player | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | 3P-FG | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamal Murray | 40 | 31 | 6 | 11 | 0-4 | Scored eight of Denver’s last 13 points |
| Nikola Jokić | 37 | 28 | 9 | 13 | 2-3 | Tiebreaking three, controlled tempo |
| Michael Porter Jr. | 29 | 24 | 6 | 0 | 2-3 | 10-of-14 overall, constant cutter |
| Aaron Gordon | 32 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1-1 | Efficient glue work |
| Russell Westbrook | 25 | 4 | 0 | 7 | — | Set the table, one late steal |
| Bench trio | — | 39 | 11 | 5 | 7-11 | Braun (15), Strawther (18), Watson (6) combined to shoot 65 % |
Denver as a unit finished 66 percent from the floor and a scorching 52 percent beyond the arc, numbers that usually translate to a blowout. Their issue was ball security—19 turnovers fed Philly’s transition game—and a minus-2 margin on the offensive glass.
76ers stat sheet
| Player | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | 3P-FG | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrese Maxey | 39 | 42 | 2 | 9 | 6-11 | Season-high, 19 third-quarter points |
| Kelly Oubre Jr. | 41 | 27 | 7 | 5 | 2-4 | Drew 10 free throws, active on the glass |
| Guerschon Yabusele | 36 | 28 | 7 | 2 | 4-7 | Pick-and-pop weapon all night |
| Eric Gordon | 29 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 3-3 | Perfect from the field |
| Justin Edwards | 32 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 3-6 | Rookie’s poise impressed |
| Bench cameo | — | 17 | 6 | 7 | 3-9 | Council IV drilled a pair of late threes |
Philadelphia shot 56 percent overall and 53 percent from deep—numbers good enough to win on most nights. Where the hosts fell short was in points off giveaways (Denver outscored them 27-12 in that column) and second-chance chances (Nuggets grabbed nine offensive boards that turned into 14 points).
Star duel: Maxey vs Jokić
Stat lines seldom tell the whole truth, but Friday’s numbers match the eye test. Maxey’s 42 (15-of-26, plus 6-of-8 at the stripe) were loud, featuring his signature burst and flair. He diced up Denver’s drop coverage, especially when Westbrook ended up chasing from behind. Jokić, meanwhile, authored an almost casual 28-9-13 on 69 percent shooting. The Serbian center’s calm presence steadied Denver every time Philly looked ready to sprint away. No possession showed it more than the give-and-go triple that iced the contest.
Role players swing the outcome
- Julian Strawther: The rookie’s 18 in 19 minutes gave Denver breathing room in the second quarter. He curled off pindowns, quick-triggered from the wing, and even finished a scoop past Andre Drummond.
- Christian Braun: Hustle MVP. His weak-side rebound in the final minute forced Philly to foul.
- Guerschon Yabusele: Often the release valve when Maxey was blitzed, he punished the Nuggets with four threes and a surprising pump-fake drive that drew a tech from Jokić.
- Kelly Oubre Jr.: Played passing lanes (one breakaway dunk) and stayed aggressive downhill, resulting in a perfect 7-of-7 at the foul line.
Team stats snapshot
| Category | Nuggets | 76ers |
|---|---|---|
| Field-goal % | 65.9 % | 55.6 % |
| Three-point % | 52.2 % | 52.5 % |
| Free throws | 17-of-18 (94 %) | 13-of-16 (81 %) |
| Rebounds | 35 | 27 |
| Assists | 39 | 29 |
| Turnovers | 19 | 11 |
| Points off turnovers | 27 | 12 |
High shooting percentages on both sides hint at loose defense, but that would be unfair to the visitors. Denver forced a handful of late-clock situations—and, crucially, their only miss at the stripe came midway through the third quarter. The Nuggets’ 39 dimes on 54 field goals underline how willing they were to share.
Turning points explained in plain language
- Denver’s second-quarter surge: Strawther and Braun gave the starters rest yet expanded the edge from plus-2 to plus-8. Those extra points mattered once the closing minutes arrived.
- Maxey’s third-quarter heater: The Sixers erased the deficit because Maxey pushed in transition every single rebound. Denver called timeout twice, but the 24-year-old still got downhill.
- Jokić’s patience in the fourth: Instead of forcing shots, he surveyed, used Porter as a decoy, and pounced only when Philly showed a sliver of space. His four field goals in the period either tied or pushed Denver ahead.
- Turnover gap: Westbrook coughed the ball up six times, yet Denver’s live-ball steals outweighed their mistakes on the scoreboard. Philly’s bench contributed five miscues; Denver scored 11 points directly after those.
What it means going forward
The victory nudged Denver to 50-32, their third straight win, while Philly slipped to 24-58 and a two-game skid. The Nuggets closed the regular-season series 2-0 and kept pressure on Oklahoma City and Minnesota in the Northwest Division. For the Sixers, the silver lining was Maxey’s leadership: even down nine with three minutes left, he kept talking to rookie Justin Edwards and two-way forward Adem Bona, guiding them through late-game sets. Head coach Nick Nurse called the performance “the template for how we want to compete,” despite the bitter ending.
Final word
Basketball fans love box scores, but this contest offered more than figures. It served a reminder that great offense can be beautiful, even when defense is trying. Jokić’s mind, Murray’s craft, and Maxey’s electric burst created a tapestry of clutch plays. In the grand standings picture, Denver pocketed a needed road win. Yet the night also showed a young Philadelphia roster discovering itself through trial and fire. If the Sixers turn these flashes into habits, they could cause headaches down the road. For now, numbers tell the tale: 137-134, Jokić dagger, Maxey fireworks, and everyone in the arena getting every penny’s worth.
Leave a Reply