Jamal Murray scores 33 and Nuggets beat Mavs 118-109 as Cooper Flagg exits with sprained ankle

 

Jamal Murray scored 33 points and the Denver Nuggets held on for a 118-109 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, who were without Cooper Flagg for the second half after the rookie No. 1 overall pick sprained his left ankle Wednesday night.

The Nuggets were comfortably in front when Flagg turned the ankle as he stumbled to the court when he was called for a foul while defending Peyton Watson with 6:01 remaining in the second quarter.

Flagg limped to the locker room, but returned and played the final 2:35 before the break. He didn't come out for the second half before the announcement that he was done for the night. The 19-year-old former Duke standout scored six points in 15 minutes.

Aaron Gordon had 22 points and Watson added 18 for Denver.

Naji Marshall scored 24 points and Brandon Williams had 20 for Dallas, which shot a season-worst 14.7% from 3-point range (5 of 34).

Dallas had trimmed a 23-point deficit to five early in the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer from rookie Ryan Nembhard when former Maverick Tim Hardaway answered with a 3 to start a 13-2 run that put Denver in front 101-85. Murray capped the run with a 3.

The Mavericks got back within six in the final 1:12 before Murray hit a jumper just above the free-throw line and Gordon hit two free throws.