Denver NuggetsOpen full analysis
Philadelphia 76ersOpen full analysis
Denver edged Philadelphia 125–124 on January 5 at Wells Fargo Center in a defensive slugfest that finished just below the 228.5-point Vegas total. J. Pickett led the Nuggets with 29 points while P. Watson added 24, propelling Denver to a decisive 53.1% field-goal mark and 18 three-pointers made. The 76ers countered with J. Embiid's 32 points and T. Maxey's 28, though Philadelphia shot only 46.9% from the floor and committed 14 turnovers to Denver's 17. The game remained competitive throughout, with Denver's fourth quarter (33 points) providing the margin of victory as the Nuggets' superior offensive rating of 121.0 to Philadelphia's 116.6 proved decisive. Denver's bench depth and three-point volume—18 made threes versus the 76ers' 17—ultimately separated the teams in a one-point thriller that saw both defenses rank among their season's best. The result keeps Denver's playoff positioning intact while Philadelphia faces continued questions about closing tight contests.
