Denver Nuggets survive injury to Aaron Gordon to rally past Toronto Raptors

Nuggets continue hot streak to extend lead in Western Conference

The Denver Nuggets survived a scare Monday night, rallying to beat the Toronto Raptors 118-113 at Ball Arena. Despite losing Aaron Gordon to a rib injury in the first half, the Nuggets improved to 25-13 this season, extending their lead to 1.5 games over the Memphis Grizzlies for the top spot in the Western Conference.

Michael Porter Jr. leads the charge for Denver

With Gordon out, Michael Porter Jr. stepped up to lead the Nuggets with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Nikola Jokic added 23 points, 18 rebounds and six assists, while Jamal Murray contributed 20 points and six assists. Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 27 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Scottie Barnes added 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Nuggets overcome slow start and Gordon injury

The Nuggets got off to a slow start, trailing by 10 points in the first quarter. But they rallied in the second quarter, tying the game at 56-56 at halftime. Gordon suffered his injury early in the third quarter, but the Nuggets didn't let it faze them. They outscored the Raptors 35-23 in the third quarter to take a 91-79 lead.

Balanced scoring effort propels Nuggets to victory

The Nuggets' balanced scoring attack was too much for the Raptors to handle. All five starters scored in double figures, and they got contributions from their bench as well. Bones Hyland added 14 points off the bench, while DeAndre Jordan had 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Nuggets' defense holds strong in the fourth quarter

The Raptors made a run in the fourth quarter, cutting the Nuggets' lead to 101-97 with just over 5 minutes remaining. But the Nuggets' defense held strong, and they made enough plays down the stretch to secure the victory.

Nuggets face tough test against Grizzlies next

The Nuggets will face their toughest test of the season on Wednesday night when they host the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are 23-13 this season and are currently in second place in the Western Conference. The game will be a rematch of last year's Western Conference semifinals, which the Nuggets won in five games.