DENVER, Colo. — The New Orleans Pelicans had Denver down by 23 points before halftime Saturday night and still walked off the floor with a loss, as the Nuggets came all the way back to win 141-135 in overtime.
The defeat leaves New Orleans winless after three games under Jamahl Mosley, who is in his first season as coach.
For most of the night it looked like the Pelicans’ best showing of the young season. They made 65.9% of their shots before halftime and built a 53-30 cushion midway through the second quarter. Denver trimmed it to 16 by the break, then New Orleans pushed back out to 19 going into the fourth.
The lead was still 124-116 with 1:37 to go in regulation. Then Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each buried a 3-pointer, Aaron Gordon added a dunk, and Murray drew a foul on a 3-point try and hit two of the three free throws with 16.8 seconds left to tie it at 126.
Denver never trailed in the extra period after Jokic’s two free throws in its first minute. Rookie Trevon Brazile, who finished with 17, poured in seven during the extra five minutes, among them a corner 3-pointer that made it 133-129 with 1:25 remaining.
Murray finished with 42 points. Jokic had 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for the 199th regular-season triple-double of his career, which trails only Russell Westbrook’s 209.
Trey Murphy III paced New Orleans with 26 points. Dejounte Murray scored 22, Zion Williamson and Derik Queen had 17 apiece, Saddiq Bey added 14 and Jeremiah Fears chipped in 10. The Pelicans played without center Yves Missi, who bruised his knee in Friday’s loss at Utah.
New Orleans gets a rematch quickly, hosting Denver on Wednesday night.
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