Canada’s Murray scores 24 points as Nuggets rally past Raptors | CBC Sports

Jamal Murray scored 24 points, Michael Porter Jr. had 20 and the Denver Nuggets scored the last six points of the game to pull out a 118-113 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

Aaron Gordon added 19 points for the Nuggets, who won their ninth in a row at home. They improved to 24-1 in their last 25 games at Ball Arena. Nikola Jokic finished an assist shy of another triple-double. He had 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Fred VanVleet had 21 points for the Raptors. Pascal Siakam added 19.

VanVleet hit a pair of free throws as Toronto regained a one-point lead, but Denver scored the final six points, all on free throws, to secure the win. Murray converted a free throw in that final stretch after Scottie Barnes was called for a technical and ejected by referee Scott Foster.

The Raptors led by as many as 10 points in the first half but Denver closed the second quarter with a 7-0 run to pull to 61-58 at the break. The burst included a 3-pointer by Porter and a dunk by Gordon off Jokic’s alley-oop pass in the final minute of the period.

Murray scored 12 points in the third quarter, including a 3-pointer midway through the period that put the Nuggets up 72-69 for their first lead of the game. But the Raptors fought back to take an 88-83 lead into the fourth quarter and led 101-93 when Siakam converted a hook shot with 7:08 left to play.

WATCH | Canada’s Murray helps Nuggets beat Raptors:

Nuggets defeat Raptors as Canada’s Murray leads way

Jamal Murray of Kitchener, Ont., scores 24 points in Denver’s 118-113 win over Toronto. Scottie Barnes is ejected late in the game for objecting to a foul call.

All five Raptors starters scored in double figures, the fifth time that has happened this season.

Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji remains sidelined indefinitely by a right shoulder injury. The Nuggets are a league-best 30-4 at home this season.

Raptors continue their five-game road trip Wednesday in Los Angeles against the Clippers.

Nuggets close out a three-game homestand Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls.

WATCH | VanVleet leads Raptors past Wizards in OT:

Raptors defeat Wizards in overtime as VanVleet leads way

Toronto beats Washington 116-109, Fred VanVleet hits two 3-pointers in overtime and finishes with 25 points.