The Denver Nuggets managed to defeat the Detroit Pistons after head coach Mike Malone and Nikola Jokic were ejected. They secured their milestone tenth victory of the season, with the final score being 107:103 after a suspenseful ending and great role by Aaron Gordon.
Problems for the current NBA champions began in the opening period when coach Malone was ejected due to his complaint about the refereeing and slightly exaggerated reactions.
The tension continued into the second quarter, and Nikola Jokic, frustrated by the referees’ decision not to call a foul, started expressing his objections. He couldn’t keep his composure and quickly earned two technical fouls, leading to his exit to the locker room.
Despite being clearly weakened by the absence of Jamal Murray for some time, the Denver Nuggets managed to resist the intentions of their rivals even without their coach and the Serbian center. The game remained uncertain until the very end, with a double-digit lead changes seen in the second half.
In the final moments, the responsibility was taken over by Aaron Gordon, with assistance from Reggie Jackson. Cade Cunningham attempted to upset the reigning NBA champions, but he couldn’t succeed. With the score at 101:99 in favor of the Detroit Pistons, Gordon secured two assists, a layup with a foul, and several crucial rebounds. It was his points from the free-throw line that put the Denver Nuggets ahead 106:103, ultimately securing the victory.
The key contributors to the win were Reggie Jackson with 21 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with 20 points, and Aaron Gordon, who added 11 points to his tally along with eight rebounds and seven assists. In the losing team, Cade Cunningham led with 27 points and nine assists. Despite being ejected, Nikola Jokić was on track for another phenomenal performance, scoring nine points and contributing five rebounds and five assists in 15 minutes on the court.