The Denver Nuggets had all the odds stacked against them, and still defeated the Philadelphia 76ers
The Denver Nuggets have been banged up for well over a month now, with Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon being the two starters who have missed the most time for Denver this season. As the end of 2025 approached, the injury list only grew, with Cameron Johnson and Nikola Jokic joining the list of players sidelined.
Heading into Monday night's contest against the Philadelphia 76ers, after losing to the Brooklyn Nets the night prior, Denver was going to be without their five opening night starters, as well as Jonas Valanciunas and Tim Hardaway Jr. All the odds were stacked against them, and it seemed like an easy win for the 76ers — but that wasn't the case.
Nuggets Pull Off Win Of The Season
Having nine players available on Monday night, eight of them played at least 15 minutes for the Nuggets, as they pulled out a narrow 125-124 victory in overtime over the 76ers. Despite 32 points and 10 rebounds from Joel Embiid and 28 points from Tyrese Maxey, it was a complete team effort from the Nuggets who secured their 24th win of the season.
Jalen Picket was the one leading the way, having a career night with 29 points, seven assists, and five rebounds while converting 7-of-11 attempts from three-point range. Peyton Watson continued his stellar season, adding 24 points and seven rebounds while seeing plenty of action as Maxey's primary defender.
"One of the most special wins I've been a part of," head coach David Adelman said.
While the players definitely deserve credit for their part in the win, so does the coaching staff. The 76ers are one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, and they've defeated teams like the Knicks, Celtics, and Warriors this season. Adelman and his staff did their part, putting the right players out on the floor throughout the night.
"Just the group," Adelman said regarding what he's proud of. "Just this morning, walking through with nine people. So, it was special."
Hunter Tyson, who hasn't even seen more than eight minutes in a game this season, came up big with 14 points in 19 minutes, converting 4-of-7 of his shots and going perfect on all four free throw attempts.
Denver did play out of their minds, shooting 53% from the field and 49% from three, so getting a similar performance out of this group again seems highly unlikely. Now, the Nuggets can give their players a day of rest before ending their road trip in Boston on Wednesday.