Even though the Mavericks have their playoff seeding set in stone and the Nuggets are lottery bound again this season, both teams put up a prolific display of offense but the Mavericks prevailed in the Mile High City 144-143 in double overtime. Danilo Gallinari had a career night with 47 points to lead the Nuggets while Dirk Nowitzki was one of three Mavericks with 20+ points, leading the team with 25. But it was Raymond Felton who came through in the end, scoring the last five points of the game to win the game for Dallas.
Dallas dominated most of the game, with Denver not taking their first lead until 2:45 remained in the game at 113-112. From there Richard Jefferson drained a three to give Dallas the lead back, and then Wilson Chandler quickly answered with a three to put Denver back up. After a Dallas turnover Ty Lawson drained a three to give Denver a four point lead at 119-115.
Dirk Nowitzki answered with a jumper to pull Dallas within two at 119-117 with less than a minute and a half to go. After Randy Foye missed a three with a minute left, Devin Harris drove the length of the court and laid it up against the backboard, Kenneth Faried swatted it away but it was ruled goaltending to tie the game. But Faried made up for it on the next possession, throwing down a monster jam to put Denver back up two. Dallas answered as Richard Jefferson turned back the clock and drove the lane for a layup to tie it again with 23 seconds remaining. After a missed shot, Jefferson got a rebound and tried to hand it off to Monta Ellis, but he mishandled it out of bounds to give Denver one last shot. Lawson drove the lane, dished to Faried who shot from the elbow but it was too strong and the game went to overtime.
In overtime, the two teams traded buckets to start. Sometimes everything goes right for a certain player, and that’s what happened for Richard Jefferson as he hit a three that rolled on the rim multiple times before going down. Denver then reeled off five in a row-two from the line and then a three by Danilo Gallinari to take the lead at 128-126. Harris tied the game up at 128 with a layup. Chandler drained a three to go up 131-128 just over halfway through overtime. In the closing minute it was tied at 134 each, and Dirk missed to give Denver a chance for one last shot. Lawson missed, Dallas got the board and called timeout with 1.4 seconds left. They moved the ball to the frontcourt and Monta Ellis put up the shot from beyond the arc that was long to send the game to double overtime. In the second overtime, the teams lost none of the fast and furious pace of the game as Dallas dug deep on their bench and brought in Bernard James for the first time. Teams traded baskets to tie at 136, then Gallinari drained a three, answered by Charlie Villanueva, then Gallinari scored four straight points to push his total to 47 for the night. Down 143-139, Raymond Felton drained a three with a hand in his face to pull Dallas within one. Then, with just 1.5 seconds left, Felton drove the lane and drained a running layup to put Dallas up 144-143. Denver got one last shot but Faried came up short on the sky hook as Dallas sealed the win.
Dallas is locked in to the seven seed, they suit up next in Los Angeles against the Lakers on Sunday. Denver will stay at home for their next game as they host the Sacramento Kings as George Karl returns to Denver.