Jamal Murray scored a season-high 52 points on 10-for-11 shooting from 3-point range, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 135-120 in Indianapolis on Wednesday night.
It was the third time Murray has scored 50 or more in the regular season, and he did it two nights after suffering a right ankle sprain. His career-high is 55 points.
He made 19 of 25 shots overall.
Nikola Jokic had 24 points and 13 assists, Bruce Brown scored 14 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. and Peyton Watson finished with 11 points each for Denver, which has won eight in a row on the road.
Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 23 points, Andrew Nembhard scored 16, Bennedict Mathurin finished with 15 points, Ben Shepperd and TJ McConnell added 14 points each and Jarace Walker scored 11.
Murray, who was questionable with the ankle sprain, scored 23 points in the first half. He played just half of the second quarter but hit all five of his shots — three from deep in the final 1:54 — and had 13 points.
Murray’s hot hand helped Denver break open a close game. Nembhard’s jumper cut Indiana’s deficit to 50-45 but the Nuggets reeled off 16 straight points and closed the half on a 32-9 run to lead 72-48 at intermission.
Murray hit a 3-pointer in the first 30 seconds of the third quarter and Denver stretched its lead to 29 on two free throws by Watson with 5:37 left in the period.
The Pacers made a push over the next two minutes, getting 3-pointers from Jay Huff and Mathurin, to cut the deficit to 20, but Denver took a 102-79 lead into the fourth.
Indiana scored the first seven points of the final period and got within 106-92 on Siakam’s layup with nine minutes left. Murray made two free throws and after a McConnell bucket, drained one from deep to make it 111-94.
Murray continued his big night with three more 3-pointers and a 19-footer during an 18-point fourth quarter, and Denver closed it out.
