NBA Game Recap - Cleveland at Denver
Sat Jan 11, 2020 9:00 PM EST

MIN
109
HOU
139
F
CHI
108
DET
99
F
NO
105
BOS
140
F
LAL
125
OKC
110
F
PHI
91
DAL
109
F
CLE
111
DEN
103
F
MIL
122
POR
101
F

Cleveland 111, Denver 103

Jan 11, 2020, 9:00 PM EST

Final

1

2

3

4

T

Cleveland

23

28

34

26

111

Denver

18

24

29

32

103

Love has 19 points, 15 rebounds, Cavs beat Nuggets, 111-103
Sun Jan 12, 2020 12:52 AM

DENVER (AP) Denver coach Michael Malone was worried his team would have another letdown against a losing team. His fears were justified.

Kevin Love had 19 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 111-103 victory over the Nuggets on Saturday night.

Collin Sexton finished with 25 points and Tristan Thompson had 18 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland, which held off a furious Denver rally to win its second straight and just its second against a team with a winning record.

"They made their run, we were able to keep our composure, didn't panic," Love said. "Guys made shots. Everybody gave us something down that the stretch that was able to give us the win."

Six of Denver's 12 losses have come against teams with 15 or fewer wins, with three of those coming at home.

"It seems like bad teams come in and play freely against us," Mason Plumlee said. "We're expected to win. We need to play like it."

Malone hoped his team learned from a loss in Washington last week but an 8-for-39 night from 3-point range and sub-par defense cost the Nuggets against the Cavaliers.

"A lot of them were good shots, open shots. The shots were not going in," Malone said. "You have to be able to rely on something, hang your hat on something, and that was our defense. Right now we can't hang our hat on really anything."

The Nuggets trailed by as many as 17 and were down 14 to start the fourth before outscoring the Cavaliers 25-10, led by Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, before Cleveland recovered.

Held in check for three quarters, Murray had 14 points in the period while Jokic scored 10 in the fourth and hit a 3-pointer that gave Denver its first lead of the game at 96-95.

Cleveland didn't wilt, getting 3-pointers from Sexton and Cedi Osman and a floater by Darius Garland to give the Cavaliers a 103-98 led with 2:55 left.

Murray finished with 24 points and Jokic had 19.

"We just missed shots," Murray said. "That fourth quarter we took the lead but at that point they were in rhythm. If they're open and making shots they're confident."

Garland finished with 18 points and eight assists.

"We just had to finish it," Garland said. "That's like a learning curve for us. We haven't finished games a lot but a good, winning team like that, they're always going to make a run."

The Nuggets had a chance to tie but Murray missed a 3-pointer. Will Barton, who had 18 points and nine rebounds, split a pair of free throws and Garland hit a 13-footer.

Love made it 109-101 with a pair of free throws with 42 seconds left.

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: Osman finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds. ... G Dante Exum (flu) missed his third straight game but joined the team in Denver. ... Garland has scored in double figures in the last eight games. ... Thompson has a double-double in 19 games, which leads the team.

Nuggets: F Paul Millsap (left knee contusion) sat out his second straight game. ... Barton returned to the lineup after missing one game to attend the funeral of his cousin, who was killed Dec. 26 in Baltimore. ... Monte Morris finished with 11 points off the bench.

HONORING STERN

The Nuggets held a moment of silence before the opening tip for former NBA Commissioner David Stern, who died on New Year's Day at age 77. They also played a video tribute to him during the first timeout of the game. This was Denver's first home game since Stern's passing.

UP NEXT

Cavaliers: Play at the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.

Nuggets: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.

Leaders

Cleveland PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
C. Sexton 25 13 1 3 0 0
K. Love 19 10 2 15 1 0
Denver PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
J. Murray 24 -4 3 5 3 0
N. Jokic 19 -2 5 12 0 0

Team Comparison

CLE DEN
Points For 111 103
Field Goals 44/89-49% 41/95-43%
Three Pointers 12/37-32% 8/39-21%
Free Throws 11/13-85% 13/18-72%
Offensive Rebounds 12 11
Defensive Rebounds 43 31
Rebounds 58 48
Blocks 1 4
Steals 5 9
Turnovers 14 5
Points Scored Off Turnovers 10 16
Points in the Paint 56 58
Fast Break Points 8 11
Personal Fouls 19 13
Technical Fouls 0 0
Flagrant Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2019-20 Reg Season - CLE Leads Series 1-0

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Sat Jan 11 CLE 111 @ DEN 103 C. Sexton 25 J. Murray 24

Game Information

Stadium: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Attendance: 19,533
Game Time: 2:5