CLEVELAND — Lauri Markkanen made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 29 seconds left in overtime and scored a season-high 31 points, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 119-116 victory over Denver on Friday night that snapped the Nuggets’ franchise-record road winning streak at seven.
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic scored in the paint to cut Cleveland’s lead to 117-116 with 25 seconds remaining, but rookie Evan Mobley dunked over Aaron Gordon to restore the Cavaliers’ three-point advantage. Bones Hyland missed a 3-pointer as time expired.
Mobley scored nine of his 27 points in OT and had 11 rebounds for Cleveland. All-Star Darius Garland had 25 points and 14 assists, and Markkanen added 10 rebounds and four steals.
Jokic had 32 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but committed a turnover and missed a shot in the final 1:40 of the extra period. Denver lost on the road for the first time since Feb. 11 at Boston.
The Nuggets led by 14 points with 10:29 left in the fourth quarter. Aaron Gordon had 20 points and rookie Hyland had 17 points and seven assists off the bench.
A DeMarcus Cousins hoop gave Denver the largest lead of the evening at 92-78, but Cleveland responded with a 24-8 run to go up 102-100 on Garland’s floater. Jokic’s driving layup with 44 seconds left sent the game to OT tied at 107-107.
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