Reggie Jackson leads Nuggets past Pistons for 107-103 win after Nikola Jokic ejected
DETROIT (AP) Reggie Jackson scored 21 points and carried Denver in the fourth quarter after two-time MVP Nikola Jokic was ejected in the first half, and the Nuggets handed the Detroit Pistons their 12th straight loss, 107-103 on Monday night.
Jackson had eight points and three assists in the final period as he and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (20 points) shined against their former team. Michael Porter Jr. finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for the defending NBA champion Nuggets (10-4), who ended a two-game skid.
“We were desperate tonight, because we were 0-2 on this road trip and we really needed a win,” Caldwell-Pope said. “We knew they were going to come out hard, because they hadn't won a game in a while, but we got it did done.”
Jokic and Denver coach Michael Malone were both ejected after arguing calls. Malone was thrown out for coming onto the court to dispute a call late in the first quarter, and Jokic was tossed for picking up a second technical with 1:22 left in the second period.
“I think Nikola was worried about my welfare,” Malone joked. “It is tough to watch a game on TV - we were hugging on good plays and I was cursing in Serbian on the bad ones.”
Jokic finished with nine points, five rebounds and five assists in 15 minutes. Jamal Murray (hamstring) missed his seventh straight game.
Cade Cunningham had 27 points and nine assists for the Pistons (2-13), while Marvin Bagley III finished with 18 points. Detroit has lost 36 of its last 40 games, dating to February.
“When you look at this stretch, it is a lot of losses, but I think there were some positives,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said. “There were just too many fouls and too many offensive rebounds allowed down the stretch.”
Aaron Gordon's three-point play gave the Nuggets a 106-103 lead with 1:25 to play, and Denver blocked shots on Detroit's next three possessions. That let the Nuggets run the clock down to 11 seconds, and Jackson hit one of two free throws to make it 107-103.
“Our guys know that, if you want to win a one-possession game on the road, you are going to have to get timely stops,” Malone said. “KCP probably made the defensive play of the game when Reggie got beaten off the bounce and he came over and got the stop without fouling.”
The Pistons didn't score in the last 1:41, missing their last four shots.
The Nuggets outscored the Pistons 25-24 in the third quarter to take a 81-79 lead, but Stanley Umude had eight points and an assist in Detroit's 10-3 run to start the fourth.
Denver struggled to score without Jokic, and Jaden Ivey's free throws put Detroit ahead 97-94 with 3:53 left. Jackson answered with a three-point play to tie it.
“This is obviously tough,” Ivey said. “Every single person in this locker room wants to win. We want to win for each other, the coaches, the organization, the fans and the city.”
UP NEXT
Nuggets: At Orlando on Wednesday.
Pistons: At Indiana for an In-Season Tournament game on Friday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Nikola Jokic vs. Marvin Bagley III (Cade Cunningham gains possession) | ||
| 11:39 | | +2 | Jaden Ivey makes two point driving floating jump shot (Cade Cunningham assists) | 0-2 |
| 11:13 |  | +3 | Reggie Jackson makes three point jump shot (Nikola Jokic assists) | 3-2 |
| 10:53 | | Cade Cunningham misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 10:51 | | Aaron Gordon defensive rebound | ||
| 10:50 | | Aaron Gordon turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 10:37 | | +2 | Ausar Thompson makes two point dunk (Cade Cunningham assists) | 3-4 |
| 10:23 | | Isaiah Stewart personal foul (Aaron Gordon draws the foul) | ||
| 10:09 | | +2 | Nikola Jokic makes two point floating jump shot | 5-4 |
| 9:49 | | +2 | Ausar Thompson makes two point cutting dunk (Jaden Ivey assists) | 5-6 |
| 9:25 | | Nikola Jokic misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:22 | | Ausar Thompson defensive rebound | ||
| 9:03 | | Cade Cunningham misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 9:01 | | Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 8:57 | | Ausar Thompson personal foul (Reggie Jackson draws the foul) | ||
| 8:50 | | Michael Porter Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:48 | | Marvin Bagley III defensive rebound | ||
| 8:43 | | +2 | Jaden Ivey makes two point running layup | 5-8 |
| 8:22 | | Nikola Jokic misses two point floating jump shot | ||
| 8:22 | | Aaron Gordon offensive rebound | ||
| 8:22 | | Aaron Gordon misses two point tip layup | ||
| 8:22 | | Pistons defensive rebound | ||
| 8:07 | | +2 | Marvin Bagley III makes two point driving layup (Cade Cunningham assists) | 5-10 |
| 7:54 | | Michael Porter Jr. misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 7:52 | | Marvin Bagley III defensive rebound | ||
| 7:30 | | Marvin Bagley III misses two point jump shot | ||
| 7:28 | | Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 7:25 | | Michael Porter Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Cade Cunningham steals) | ||
| 7:20 | | Reggie Jackson shooting foul (Marvin Bagley III draws the foul) | ||
| 7:20 | | +1 | Marvin Bagley III makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-11 |
| 7:20 | | +1 | Marvin Bagley III makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 5-12 |
| 7:19 | | Nikola Jokic technical foul | ||
| 7:19 | | +1 | Cade Cunningham makes technical free throw 1 of 1 | 5-13 |
| 7:04 | | +2 | Nikola Jokic makes two point driving layup (Reggie Jackson assists) | 7-13 |
| 6:51 | | Nikola Jokic blocks Marvin Bagley III's two point layup | ||
| 6:47 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 6:45 | | Ausar Thompson blocks Michael Porter Jr.'s two point running layup | ||
| 6:45 | | Pistons defensive rebound | ||
| 6:45 | | Pistons 60 second timeout | ||
| 6:25 | | Jaden Ivey misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 6:23 | | Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 6:17 | | Marvin Bagley III personal foul (Nikola Jokic draws the foul) | ||
| 6:09 | | Nikola Jokic offensive foul (Charge) (Marvin Bagley III draws the foul) | ||
| 6:09 | | Nikola Jokic turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 5:51 | | +2 | Marvin Bagley III makes two point driving layup | 7-15 |
| 5:35 | | +2 | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope makes two point jump shot (Nikola Jokic assists) | 9-15 |
| 5:24 | | Marvin Bagley III misses two point jump shot | ||
| 5:21 | | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope defensive rebound | ||
| 5:19 | | Marvin Bagley III personal foul (Nikola Jokic draws the foul) | ||
| 5:10 | | Nikola Jokic misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:10 | | Pistons defensive rebound | ||
| 5:10 | | Michael Porter Jr. personal foul (Loose ball) (Ausar Thompson draws the foul) | ||
| 4:58 | | Christian Braun blocks Ausar Thompson's two point dunk | ||
| 4:55 | | Ausar Thompson offensive rebound | ||
| 4:45 | | Isaiah Stewart misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 4:42 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 4:32 | | Aaron Gordon misses two point hook shot | ||
| 4:29 | | Christian Braun offensive rebound | ||
| 4:23 | | +3 | Nikola Jokic makes three point pullup jump shot (Christian Braun assists) | 12-15 |
| 4:09 | | Alec Burks misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:07 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 4:01 | | +2 | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope makes two point pullup jump shot (Nikola Jokic assists) | 14-15 |
| 3:38 | | Cade Cunningham misses two point driving layup | ||
| 3:36 | | Nikola Jokic defensive rebound | ||
| 3:33 | | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 3:28 | | Aaron Gordon offensive rebound | ||
| 3:21 | | +2 | Aaron Gordon makes two point hook shot | 16-15 |
| 3:21 | | Ausar Thompson shooting foul (Aaron Gordon draws the foul) | ||
| 3:21 | | Aaron Gordon misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 3:17 | | Alec Burks defensive rebound | ||
| 3:04 | | +2 | Isaiah Livers makes two point pullup jump shot | 16-17 |
| 2:45 | | +2 | Nikola Jokic makes two point driving hook shot (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope assists) | 18-17 |
| 2:39 | | Nikola Jokic kicked ball violation | ||
| 2:29 | | +3 | Stanley Umude makes three point jump shot (Alec Burks assists) | 18-20 |
| 2:05 | | Julian Strawther misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:02 | | James Wiseman defensive rebound | ||
| 2:00 | | Jalen Pickett personal foul (Alec Burks draws the foul) | ||
| 1:52 | | James Wiseman misses two point turnaround hook shot | ||
| 1:49 | | Peyton Watson defensive rebound | ||
| 1:39 | | +3 | Christian Braun makes three point jump shot (Peyton Watson assists) | 21-20 |
| 1:29 | | Julian Strawther personal foul (Loose ball) (Isaiah Livers draws the foul) | ||
| 1:29 | | +1 | Isaiah Livers makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-21 |
| 1:29 | | +1 | Isaiah Livers makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-22 |
| 1:21 | | Michael Malone technical foul | ||
| 1:21 | | Alec Burks misses technical free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 1:21 | | Nuggets defensive rebound | ||
| 1:21 | | Michael Malone technical foul | ||
| 1:21 | | +1 | Alec Burks makes technical free throw 1 of 1 | 21-23 |
| 1:08 | | +2 | Christian Braun makes two point driving floating jump shot (Julian Strawther assists) | 23-23 |
| 0:56 | | Alec Burks misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:56 | | Christian Braun defensive rebound | ||
| 0:50 | | Christian Braun turnover (lost ball) (Killian Hayes steals) | ||
| 0:46 | | Stanley Umude turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | ||
| 0:36 | | +2 | Jalen Pickett makes two point pullup jump shot (Peyton Watson assists) | 25-23 |
| 0:22 | | Zeke Nnaji blocks Isaiah Livers's two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 0:18 | | Christian Braun defensive rebound | ||
| 0:18 | | +2 | Peyton Watson makes two point running dunk (Christian Braun assists) | 27-23 |
| 0:00 | | Alec Burks misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | Jalen Pickett defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:46 | | +2 | Julian Strawther makes two point driving layup (Jalen Pickett assists) | 29-23 |
| 11:27 | | Stanley Umude misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 11:24 | | Christian Braun defensive rebound | ||
| 11:19 | | Killian Hayes shooting foul (Zeke Nnaji draws the foul) | ||
| 11:19 | | +1 | Zeke Nnaji makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 30-23 |
| 11:19 | | Zeke Nnaji misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 11:16 | | Isaiah Livers defensive rebound | ||
| 11:00 | | Alec Burks turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | ||
| 10:41 | | Christian Braun misses two point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 10:41 | | Pistons defensive rebound | ||
| 10:30 | | Christian Braun personal foul (Killian Hayes draws the foul) | ||
| 10:20 | | +2 | Jaden Ivey makes two point cutting layup (Marvin Bagley III assists) | 30-25 |
| 10:01 | | +2 | Reggie Jackson makes two point driving floating jump shot | 32-25 |
| 9:45 | | Killian Hayes misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:43 | | Julian Strawther defensive rebound | ||
| 9:38 | | Julian Strawther misses three point running pullup jump shot | ||
| 9:36 | | Stanley Umude defensive rebound | ||
| 9:30 | | Peyton Watson blocks Stanley Umude's two point driving layup | ||
| 9:30 | | Pistons offensive rebound | ||
| 9:23 | | Zeke Nnaji shooting foul (Marvin Bagley III draws the foul) | ||
| 9:23 | | Marvin Bagley III misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 9:23 | | Pistons offensive rebound | ||
| 9:23 | | +1 | Marvin Bagley III makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 32-26 |
| 9:07 | | +2 | Reggie Jackson makes two point floating jump shot | 34-26 |
| 8:52 | | +2 | Marvin Bagley III makes two point layup (Stanley Umude assists) | 34-28 |
| 8:52 | | Michael Porter Jr. shooting foul (Marvin Bagley III draws the foul) | ||
| 8:52 | | +1 | Marvin Bagley III makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 34-29 |
| 8:33 | | Ausar Thompson blocks Peyton Watson's two point layup | ||
| 8:29 | | Marvin Bagley III defensive rebound | ||
| 8:26 | | Killian Hayes turnover (lost ball) (Reggie Jackson steals) | ||
| 8:18 | | +2 | Zeke Nnaji makes two point layup (Reggie Jackson assists) | 36-29 |
| 8:18 | | Ausar Thompson shooting foul (Zeke Nnaji draws the foul) | ||
| 8:18 | | +1 | Zeke Nnaji makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 37-29 |
| 8:03 | | +2 | Isaiah Stewart makes two point driving layup (Cade Cunningham assists) | 37-31 |
| 7:43 | | Aaron Gordon misses two point hook shot | ||
| 7:41 | | Isaiah Stewart defensive rebound | ||
| 7:33 | | +3 | Cade Cunningham makes three point jump shot (Jaden Ivey assists) | 37-34 |
| 7:14 | | Cade Cunningham shooting foul (Julian Strawther draws the foul) | ||
| 7:14 | | +1 | Julian Strawther makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 38-34 |
| 7:14 | | +1 | Julian Strawther makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 39-34 |
| 6:58 | | +3 | Jaden Ivey makes three point jump shot (Cade Cunningham assists) | 39-37 |
| 6:43 | | +3 | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope makes three point jump shot (Julian Strawther assists) | 42-37 |
| 6:25 | | +2 | Cade Cunningham makes two point driving layup (Jaden Ivey assists) | 42-39 |
| 6:12 | | Michael Porter Jr. misses two point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 6:09 | | Jaden Ivey defensive rebound | ||
| 5:57 | | +2 | Marcus Sasser makes two point floating jump shot | 42-41 |
| 5:57 | | Nuggets 60 second timeout | ||
| 5:38 | | Nikola Jokic misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:34 | | Michael Porter Jr. offensive rebound | ||
| 5:32 | | Michael Porter Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Cade Cunningham steals) | ||
| 5:21 | | Cade Cunningham misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:19 | | Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 5:08 | | +2 | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope makes two point cutting layup (Nikola Jokic assists) | 44-41 |
| 4:54 | | Cade Cunningham turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 4:43 | | Michael Porter Jr. turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | ||
| 4:28 | | +2 | Jaden Ivey makes two point driving layup | 44-43 |
| 4:12 | | +3 | Michael Porter Jr. makes three point jump shot (Nikola Jokic assists) | 47-43 |
| 3:56 | | +2 | Isaiah Stewart makes two point cutting dunk (Cade Cunningham assists) | 47-45 |
| 3:31 | | Michael Porter Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:29 | | Pistons defensive rebound | ||
| 3:07 | | Marcus Sasser misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:04 | | Aaron Gordon defensive rebound | ||
| 3:00 | | Cade Cunningham blocks Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's two point running layup | ||
| 2:58 | | Isaiah Livers defensive rebound |