Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points and Aaron Gordon added 23 as the short-handed Denver Nuggets held on to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 108-104 on Sunday night.
Peyton Watson continued his strong stretch, finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Zeke Nnaji recorded 14 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season as Denver found enough production despite a depleted lineup.
The Nuggets were without five of their top eight scorers, including three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic (bone bruise, left knee) and Jamal Murray (sprained left ankle). The sidelined players combine to average 84.6 points per game, making the win an impressive effort for Denver.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Myles Turner scored 16 points, while Bobby Portis and AJ Green added 14 apiece. Ryan Rollins was limited to two points, snapping his career-best streak of 37 straight games with at least 10 points.
Denver, which had lost five of its previous eight games after a 22-8 start, built a 15-point lead in the first half and went into the fourth quarter ahead by 11. Milwaukee rallied late, cutting the deficit to 105-102, but missed two potential game-tying 3-pointers from Rollins and Green in the final 20 seconds.
Gordon, the lone regular starter available for the Nuggets, sealed the victory by knocking down three free throws in the final nine seconds.
Milwaukee entered the game having gone 5-2 in its previous seven contests after a 12-19 start.
The Nuggets continue their road trip at New Orleans on Tuesday night.
