Memphis Slams the Door Late, Holds Off Jokic’s Rampage

Memphis 125, Denver 118

Nikola Jokić spends the last six minutes trying to wrestle this game away from Memphis. He hits the lane, floats one in, buries a pull-up three, and keeps Denver within striking distance. But every time the Nuggets threaten to turn the screws, the Grizzlies have an answer. In a game that features 26 lead changes and never fully settles until the final minute, Memphis ultimately owns the biggest stretch of the night — a third-quarter surge and a decisive late run that keeps Denver at arm’s length.

The first half plays like a heavyweight exchange, with neither side landing enough clean shots to separate. Memphis edges the opening quarter 31-30, but Denver keeps punching back, and the game is dead even at 60-60 by halftime. Christian Braun helps keep the Nuggets attached early, including a running finger roll layup during an 8-0 Denver burst that flips a 21-16 hole into a 23-21 lead. That sequence captures the tone of the night: one team hits, the other counters, and neither can build a cushion.

Then Memphis starts to find real rhythm in the third. T. Jerome drills a 30-foot pull-up three to ignite an 8-0 run that turns a 70-68 game into a 78-68 Memphis lead. Not long after, T. Hendricks detonates a running dunk as part of a 9-0 burst that pushes the margin to 96-86. That’s the turning point. The Grizzlies aren’t just trading buckets anymore — they’re stringing together stops, attacking in transition, and making Denver chase the game from behind for the first time with real force. Taylor Hendricks also makes his presence felt defensively, finishing with three blocks and six steals, giving Memphis the kind of disruptive edge that changes possessions, not just plays.

Denver doesn’t fold. Jokić keeps carving up the paint and Jamal Murray keeps the offense organized, finishing with 12 assists. The Nuggets claw back to within 10 in the fourth, and Jokić’s 7-foot driving floater trims it to 107-105, capping an 8-0 Denver run. For a brief moment, the comeback feels live. But Memphis immediately shuts the door. O. Prosper answers with a corner three, D. Jarreau adds a pull-up jumper, and the Grizzlies rip off a 9-0 run that stretches the lead from 107-105 to 116-105. That stretch is the game’s final breakaway. Denver gets one more push — Braun hits from 21 feet, Jokić scores again at the rim, and Murray drills a deep pull-up with 6.7 seconds left — but the deficit never gets back to single digits after Memphis reasserts control.

The box score tells the story of balance, but the play-by-play shows why Memphis wins. Jokić posts 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists and comes one assist shy of a triple-double, yet he’s fighting uphill against a Grizzlies team that gets major contributions everywhere. Christian Braun pours in 26 with seven boards and five assists, Ty Jerome adds 21 points and nine assists in just 25 minutes, Cameron Johnson chips in 20 with five threes, and Jamal Murray stacks 19 points and 12 assists. Memphis, though, keeps answering with collective shot-making and timely defense, and that combination is enough to survive Jokić’s late surge.

For Memphis, this is the kind of win that matters in the standings and in the locker room. It’s a quality home result against a contender, one built on shot-making, pressure defense, and the ability to punish every Denver mistake. For the Nuggets, it’s a reminder that even elite offense can’t survive extended empty stretches against a deep, confident opponent. If these teams meet again with postseason stakes, Memphis will know it can weather the MVP-level avalanche. Denver will know it needs a cleaner third quarter and a little more help before the final five minutes.