NBA: Heavily depleted Nuggets come away with OT win over 76ers

Shorthanded Denver Nuggets survived a thrilling overtime clash, edging the Philadelphia 76ers 125-124 as Bruce Brown’s late bucket sealed the win. Jalen Pickett scored a career-high 29 points despite Denver missing seven of its top eight players.

Field Level Media/Reuters

January 6, 2026

Bruce Brown’s late goaltended layup lifts shorthanded Nuggets over 76ers 125-124 in OT; Jalen Pickett scores career-high 29 points.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images/Reuters

Bruce Brown sank the decisive basket with 5.3 seconds left in overtime, lifting the shorthanded Denver Nuggets to a 125-124 victory over the host Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

Jalen Pickett scored a career-high 29 points for the Nuggets, who had dropped four of their last five games, including a 12-point loss to Brooklyn on Sunday. Denver, in the midst of a seven-game, 13-day road trip, played without seven of its top eight scorers, including all five starters.

Nikola Jokic, Cameron Johnson, and Jonas Valanciunas are sidelined for the near term, while Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Tim Hardaway Jr. rested due to various ailments after playing on Sunday.

Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 32 points and 10 rebounds. Tyrese Maxey added 28 points, while VJ Edgecombe contributed 17 for the Sixers, whose three-game winning streak came to an end.

Pickett opened overtime with a 3-pointer—his seventh of the game—but Philadelphia responded with four straight points, highlighted by Edgecombe’s dunk with 1:26 remaining.

The Sixers missed two chances to extend their lead in the final 10 seconds. Brown raced down the court in transition and attempted a layup that was goaltended by Embiid, giving Denver a one-point edge. Maxey’s last-second scoop shot rimmed out, sealing the win for the Nuggets.

The game was tied at halftime and remained close through most of the third quarter. Neither team led by more than five points until Maxey’s 3-pointer gave Philadelphia an 86-79 advantage with 2:11 left in the period.

The Sixers led 100-92 early in the fourth quarter before Denver responded with a 14-0 run. Peyton Watson scored two free throws to put the Nuggets ahead 106-100 with 6:52 remaining in regulation.

Quentin Grimes hit a 3-pointer to bring Philadelphia within a point with 5:01 left, then tied the game again with another triple at 2:58. Maxey drove for a layup to knot the score at 120-120 with 49.6 seconds remaining, sending the game into overtime after neither team could capitalize on their final regulation possessions.

—Field Level Media/Reuters