Bruce Brown was credited with the decisive bucket with 5.3 seconds left in overtime as the shorthanded Denver Nuggets topped the host Philadelphia 76ers 125-124 on Monday.
Jalen Pickett scored a career-high 29 points for the Nuggets, who had lost four of their last five games, including Sunday’s 12-point defeat at Brooklyn. Denver is in the midst of a seven-game, 13-day road trip and played without seven of its top eight scorers, including all five starters.
Nikola Jokic, Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas are out somewhat long-term, while Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Tim Hardaway Jr. rested with various ailments after playing Sunday.
Joel Embiid paced Philadelphia with 32 points and 10 rebounds. Tyrese Maxey added 28 points and VJ Edgecombe had 17 for the Sixers, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.
Pickett made a 3-pointer on the first possession of overtime – his seventh triple of the game – but Philadelphia scored the next four points, capped by Edgecombe’s dunk with 1:26 left.
The Sixers had two chances to extend their lead with about 10 seconds to go but missed them both. Brown raced up-court in transition and attempted a layup that was goaltended by Embiid, putting the Nuggets up by a point.
Maxey’s running scoop shot at the buzzer rimmed out.
The teams were tied at halftime and stayed close throughout most of the third quarter. Neither squad led by more than five in the period until Maxey knocked down a 3-pointer to put Philadelphia ahead 86-79 with 2:11 remaining.
The Sixers led 100-92 early in the fourth quarter before the Nuggets countered with 14 consecutive points. Peyton Watson (24 points) made two free throws to give Denver a 106-100 lead with 6:52 to play in regulation.
Quentin Grimes’ 3-pointer brought Philadelphia within a point with 5:01 left and then he made another 3-pointer with 2:58 remaining to draw the teams even at 115-115.
The game was tied again, 120-120, after Maxey drove for a layup with 49.6 seconds to play. Neither team executed its final possession well, sending the game to overtime.
