Cavaliers rally past short-handed Nuggets in fourth quarter

CLEVELAND — Everyone scoffed when Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson called Friday's game "appropriate fear night." The Denver Nuggets were missing four starters, including perhaps the best player in the league in center Nikola Jokic, sidelined with a hyperextended knee. However, Atkinson proved to be prophetic when the short-handed Nuggets almost pulled off the upset before succumbing 113-108 at Rocket Arena. The Cavs (20-16) have won three in a row, as well as five of their last seven heading into a Central Division showdown against Detroit on Sunday. Cleveland's suffocating defense in the fourth quarter was the difference, as it held the Nuggets to an opponent's season-low 11 points on 4-of-20 shooting. Atkinson credited swingman Jaylon Tyson, who was asked to slow down Denver guard Jamal Murray. Murray finished with a game-high 34 points, six rebounds and seven assists. "We blitzed Jamal Murray the whole second half," Atkinson said. "We figured we'd live with the other guys shooting. "We played with more force (in the fourth). We started picking up full court and blitzed every Jamal Murray pick-and-roll." Murray had 28 points in the first half, as Cleveland held onto a 62-59 advantage. In the second half, however, he went just 2-of-12 from the field. In the pivotal fourth quarter, he was limited to a 3-point goal in the last minute. "We challenged (Tyson) at the half to guard Jamal," Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell said. Cavs center Jarrett Allen agreed. "Jaylon stepped up," he said. "He brought it. Jamal was killing us in the first half." Mitchell finished with a team-high 33 points, six rebounds and five assists. Guard Darius Garland added 17 points and a game-high eight assists. Forward De'Andre Hunter scored 16 points and Craig Porter Jr. had 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Cleveland dominated the Nuggets on the boards 55-32, as Allen had a game-high 12 rebounds and Evan Mobley 11 rebounds and three blocks. The Cavs shot .500 from the field and .410 from the 3-point line. Still, Atkinson called the offense "clunky." "We found a way to get the win," he said. "This one is not going into the Cavs Hall of Fame." Atkinson credited Denver's zone defense for causing problems. He said Cleveland practiced going against the Nuggets' zone defense in its shootaround for almost 20 minutes Friday to no avail. "We haven't been good against the zone," he said. "Sometimes to get teams out of zone, you have to shoot them out of it," Mitchell said. He thinks Cleveland is starting to turn the corner. "We're playing well," he said. "There's been a different vibe. It's time to put our foot on the gas." The Cavs trailed 97-88 after three quarters but outscored Denver 25-11 in the final period. Bob Finnan can be reached at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X. Cavs 113, Nuggets 108 DENVER (108): S.Jones 5-8 0-0 13, Watson 9-22 1-2 21, Holmes II 1-6 0-0 3, Murray 12-28 4-5 34, Pickett 4-5 0-0 9, Nnaji 3-6 6-6 13, Brown 0-4 0-0 0, Hardaway Jr. 6-14 0-0 15, Strawther 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 40-94 11-13 108. CLEVELAND (113): J.Tyson 3-8 1-2 8, Mobley 4-10 0-5 8, Allen 3-5 2-2 8, Garland 6-12 2-2 18, Mitchell 14-24 0-2 33, Tomlin 2-5 2-2 6, Hunter 5-12 4-4 16, Ball 2-3 0-0 6, Porter Jr. 4-7 0-0 10, Proctor 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 43-86 11-19 113. Denver&emsp;24&emsp;35&emsp;38&emsp;11&emsp;—&emsp;108Cleveland&emsp;28&emsp;34&emsp;26&emsp;25&emsp;—&emsp;113 3-Point Goals—Denver 17-47 (Murray 6-12, S.Jones 3-5, Hardaway Jr. 3-9, Watson 2-9, Pickett 1-2, Holmes II 1-4, Nnaji 1-4, Brown 0-2), Cleveland 16-39 (Mitchell 5-12, Garland 4-8, Porter Jr. 2-2, Ball 2-3, Hunter 2-7, J.Tyson 1-4, Tomlin 0-1, Mobley 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Denver 32 (Murray, S.Jones 6), Cleveland 55 (Allen 12). Assists—Denver 26 (Murray 7), Cleveland 32 (Garland 8). Total Fouls—Denver 15, Cleveland 18. A—19,432 (19,432).