Sports

Actions

Nuggets hold off Jazz in Game 1 despite Mitchell's 57 points

Jazz Nuggets Basketball
Jazz Nuggets Basketball
Jazz Nuggets Basketball
Posted at 3:40 PM, Aug 17, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-17 18:39:36-04

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The Denver Nuggets beat the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Monday.

Donovan Mitchell erupted for a Jazz playoff-record and personal career high 57 points, but it wasn't enough to stop the Nuggets who won 135-125 in overtime.

Denver's Jamal Murray scored 10 of his 36 points in overtime, and Nikola Jokic finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds. He had a chance to win it in regulation at the buzzer, but his right-handed hook shot over Utah's Rudy Gobert was off the mark.

Murray took over in the extra period, sealing the game with a jumper with 46.8 seconds remaining.

Mitchell was the star of the show. His scoring spree surpassed the previous Jazz playoff record of 50, set by Karl Malone in 2000.

The guard's 57 points are also the third-highest in NBA postseason history behind Michael Jordan's 63 in 1986 and Elgin Baylor's 61 points in 1961.

Jazz rookie Juwan Morgan earned his first career start at forward as Joe Ingles filled the guard role left empty by Mike Conley, who left the NBA "bubble" for the birth of his son.

The teams will face off again Wednesday at 2 p.m. MDT.