Kyrie Irving was upgraded to available ahead of Tuesday's clash but Luka Doncic remained out.
Kyrie Irving made a return to the Dallas Mavericks from a five-game absence due to a back injury. However, his comeback didn’t help Dallas as the Denver Nuggets overcame the hosts 114-99 on Monday night.
Jamal Murray dropped 32 out of 45 points in the first half to guide Denver a 3-1 season-series win over short-handed Mavericks. Nikola Jokic dropped his consecutive triple-double and also set an NBA record.
Nuggets had a 71-45 lead at halftime and Mavericks’ inconsistent shooting kept the lead in double-figures throughout the game. It was the second worst-loss for Dallas this season after a 23-point blowout defeat to the Clippers on Dec. 19.
Kyrie Irving returned to the lineup after recovery from a lumbar back sprain. The eight-time All-Star played a team-high 30 minutes but wasn’t effective on the court. He finished with 11 points on 4-for-18 shooting. Daniel Gafford added 13 points and Naji Marshall had 11.
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Kyrie Irving was upgraded to available ahead of Tuesday’s clash but Luka Doncic remained out. The superstar guard replaced Spencer Dinwiddie, who was pushed to the bench. Irving scored 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and four steals on an abhorrent 4-of-18 from the field.
Nikola Jokic’s defense on Kyrie Irving was impressive and the 32-year-old had tough finishes over the Nuggets star. Irving scored nine points in the first half when the Mavericks lost the control with 34.8% shooting.
Score: Mavericks 99 Nuggets 118
| Minutes Played | 27 |
| Points | 11 |
| Rebounds | 4 |
| Assist | 2 |
| Steals | 4 |
| Blocks | 1 |
| Turnovers | 1 |
| FGs | 4-18 |
| 3Ps | 0-3 |
| FTs | 3-4 |
Image Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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