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Jamal Murray scores in clutch again as Nuggets pull off 17-point comeback to beat Pelicans in overtime

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Jamal Murray scores in clutch again as Nuggets pull off 17-point comeback to beat Pelicans in overtime


Every Nuggets comeback needs a stroke of inspiration, and this one fittingly occurred without Nikola Jokic on the floor. With 9:18 remaining in a game Denver trailed 100-90, Julian Strawther was barreled over away from the ball while Jamal Murray buried a corner 3-pointer.

A flagrant foul. A free throw for Strawther. A lob from Russell Westbrook to DeAndre Jordan. A six-point possession.

And eventually, an improbable and unnecessarily strenuous 132-129 overtime win over the Pelicans on Sunday night.

The Nuggets (15-11) have won five games this season after trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter. They were down 17 in this one, late in the third frame. But Jokic finally came alive late, and Murray punctuated his 27-point, eight-rebound game with another clutch shot, on one leg with eight seconds remaining to force overtime.

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Closing lineup change

Michael Malone learned from last time. On Thursday in Portland, the Trail Blazers took a timeout to set up their last shot after Jokic tied it with 15 seconds to go. Denver’s lineup for the defensive possession: Murray, Westbrook, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Jokic. The result: Anfernee Simons blew by Westbrook and a notable lack of help defense for a layup at the buzzer.

With eight seconds to go in New Orleans, Murray’s 20-footer deadlocked the Nuggets and Pelicans at 119. Timeout, New Orleans.

Denver’s lineup for the defensive possession: Westbrook, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Gordon and Jokic.

Porter had already been excised from the closing lineup after a poor performance at both ends. But Malone made room for both Watson and Braun by trading out Murray as well — in no way an indictment on the star guard’s play, but rather a sensible deployment of two impressive young perimeter defenders. Braun and Watson joined forces, with vital help from Westbrook, to get C.J. McCollum into a tough shot at the buzzer.

Malone stuck with Westbrook and Braun in overtime, while Porter remained on the bench. Braun played just shy of 39 minutes (the second-most on the team). Murray also contributed three steals, including a crucial one in the last minute of overtime.

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Jokic largely to blame this time

There’s a valid school of thought that to depend on Jokic too much is dangerous for the long-term prosperity of the Nuggets. That too many minutes, too many touches and too many stats in December are cause for wariness, not celebration.

Even if that interpretation is accurate, there’s a baseline standard of aggressiveness for any team’s best player that Jokic didn’t come close to meeting on Sunday.

Especially against the centers New Orleans was throwing at him.

Until it was almost too late.

Jokic finished with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, after not imposing himself on Yves Missi and Daniel Theis in a way that should’ve seemed obvious for most of the night. He missed a couple of chances at the rim in a scoreless first quarter. Then in the second and third combined, only two of his seven field goal attempts were inside of 10 feet. The other five were all jumpers from 13 or more feet out. He only attempted five free throws.

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At the defensive end — where Jokic is intuitive and often impactful, despite the general perception of him — he was a major part of the problem as the Pelicans won the paint 14-6 in the third quarter. They stretched their lead to 91-74 at the 1:32 mark, blowing by perimeter players and never feeling Jokic’s presence at the level of screens or near the rim.

As appropriate as it was that Denver found its spark without him, Jokic still turned out to be essential to the completion of the comeback. Once he committed to posting up, it was a one-sided game. He put up seven points in a two-minute stretch as Denver took the lead, then he added six easy points to get the Pelicans on their heels at the beginning of overtime.

Getting back on defense

The Nuggets had no excuse for appearing fatigued in New Orleans after their recent schedule, which included only three games in the last 13 days. But running the floor after live-ball changes of possession continued to be a bewildering topic.

They entered the game averaging 18.2 fast-break points allowed, the fourth-worst number in the NBA. They allowed 15 to the Pelicans by halftime. It wasn’t all turnovers this time, though Denver did commit 22 throughout the night. Players got caught in-between on 50-50 balls. Porter had an opportunity to rebound his own missed 3-pointer at one point in the second quarter, but as the long rebound bounced toward him, he turned and half-heartedly made his way toward the defensive end instead. An opponent seized the ball and sprinted past him for a layup.

The Pelicans finished the night with 23 transition points and a 56% clip from 2-point range. The Nuggets might have escaped with another win, but their flaws aren’t going away.

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Twitter reacts to another Bo Nix comeback vs. Texans

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Twitter reacts to another Bo Nix comeback vs. Texans


The Denver Broncos have made significant work of the fourth quarter this season. Denver has outscored opponents 80-26 in the final 15 minutes during their six-game win streak, which have led to some heart-pounding games from the Broncos this year. Denver has scored 96 points in the final 15 minutes this season, tied with the Green Bay Packers for the most in the NFL.

In Sunday’s win over the Houston Texans, the Broncos entered the final frame down 15-7, before promptly scoring a touchdown and two-point conversion to tie the game with just over 12 minutes left. Bo Nix then led a final Denver drive to kick the game-winning field goal as time expired. Sunday marked the Broncos’ fourth fourth quarter comeback this year, tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the most this season. Twitter lit up after Nix’s latest great escape.

The Broncos now have a short week to prepare for the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday Night Football.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

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First memorial to Flight 629 bombing, one of Colorado’s deadliest mass murders, unveiled in Denver

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First memorial to Flight 629 bombing, one of Colorado’s deadliest mass murders, unveiled in Denver


There is a distinct before and after the night of Nov. 1, 1955, when a United Airlines flight exploded over a sugar beet field near Longmont, killing all 44 people on board in one of the deadliest mass murders in Colorado history.

There is before Susan Morgan lost her parents, Stewart and Anne, at 12 years old because a Denver man, Jack Gilbert Graham, put a homemade bomb in his mother’s suitcase.

Graham bought a life insurance policy as he escorted his mother, Daisie King, to the gate for United Airlines Flight 629 at Stapleton Airport. She unknowingly carried 25 sticks of dynamite, timed to explode after the Portland, Oregon-bound flight took off.

There is before Dave Benedict learned, at 3 years old, that he would never meet his grandparents, James and Sarah Dorey, because they were killed when a bomb exploded on their flight to visit him for the first time.

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Now 70 years after the bombing of Flight 629, families of the 44 victims gathered at the former Stapleton control tower for the unveiling of Colorado’s first memorial to the tragedy.

“Today’s commemoration is not just about what happened in 1955, it’s about who we became because of it,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek told hundreds of people gathered at the FlyteCo Tower on Saturday morning.

A military aircraft flies over a large American flag hanging above dozens of supporters and family members attending the United Flight 629 Memorial dedication at the FlyteCo Tower on Nov. 1, 2025, in Denver. (Photo By Kathryn Scott/Special to The Denver Post)

It was also about healing, Benedict said. He thought this weekend would include a dinner, maybe, and was at a loss for words to describe what the ceremonies and events organized by the Denver Police Museum and dozens of other organizations and volunteers meant to him.

“The ability to listen to other people’s stories and to hear what carrying 70 years of unspoken pain has been like… we’re hearing that over and over again,” he said. “Very few of the victims’ children or spouses had any context in which to talk about this, to work through it or process it, so that’s happening now.”

In the decades after losing her parents, Morgan came to realize she also had lost her life as she knew it and who she thought she would become, she said.

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Family members watch as red roses are place on a new memorial in front of the FlyteCo Tower, the former airport control tower, in honor of those killed aboard United Flight 629 in 1955. Dozens of supporters and family members of those who were aboard the flight, gather for a 70th Anniversary Memorial Dedication on Nov. 1, 2025 in Denver. (Photo By Kathryn Scott/Special to The Denver Post)
Family members watch as red roses are place on a new memorial in front of the FlyteCo Tower, the former airport control tower, in honor of those killed aboard United Flight 629 in 1955. Dozens of supporters and family members of those who were aboard the flight, gather for a 70th Anniversary Memorial Dedication on Nov. 1, 2025 in Denver. (Photo By Kathryn Scott/Special to The Denver Post)

But even knowing the darkness that became part of her life, Morgan told the crowd of families, first responders, investigators and court officials, she cannot wish that it never happened. That she had never created her “second family,” or viewed the world with clear eyes.

Family members and supporters watch as red roses are placed on a new memorial in front of the FlyteCo Tower, the former airport control tower, in honor of those killed aboard United Flight 629 in 1955. The dozens of supporters and family members of those who were aboard the flight, gather for a 70th Anniversary Memorial Dedication on Nov. 1, 2025 in Denver. (Photo By Kathryn Scott/Special to The Denver Post)
Family members and supporters watch as red roses are placed on a new memorial in front of the FlyteCo Tower, the former airport control tower, in honor of those killed aboard United Flight 629 in 1955. The dozens of supporters and family members of those who were aboard the flight, gather for a 70th Anniversary Memorial Dedication on Nov. 1, 2025 in Denver. (Photo By Kathryn Scott/Special to The Denver Post)

“I’m among a large group of people whose lives have been scarred by the same tragedy as mine,” Morgan said. “That sense of something shared is a remarkable thing.”

It’s not clear why it took so long to create a memorial to the bombing, although some officials on Saturday speculated the scattered nature of the victims’ families – only one, Daisie King, was from Colorado – played a part.

But each one had a story, former Denver Police Department Deputy Chief William Nagle told the crowd. Nagle read out name after name, describing the life behind each one.



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Denver mom turns backyard into emergency food pantry on Halloween amid SNAP benefit uncertainty

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Denver mom turns backyard into emergency food pantry on Halloween amid SNAP benefit uncertainty


DENVER — A Denver woman turned her backyard into an emergency food pantry on Halloween, hoping to fill a need while federal food assistance remains uncertain.

Joanna Rosa-Saenz organized the grassroots food drive after hearing about food insecurity in her northwest Denver neighborhood.

“We live in America. We shouldn’t be hungry, we shouldn’t be hungry,” said Rosa-Saenz. “And I don’t want anyone on my block to be hungry.”

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Donations starting to pile up in Joanna Rosa-Saenz’s backyard.

Federal judges in two separate cases ruled Friday that the Trump administration cannot suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the government shutdown.

The Massachusetts ruling came after about two dozen states sued the federal government, arguing the Agriculture Department’s plan to halt all SNAP payments starting Nov. 1 would unlawfully cut off aid to millions of low-income families.

The Agriculture Department had argued it could not legally tap contingency funds to keep the program running. But the judge disagreed and ordered the agency to report back by Monday on how it will fund benefits. Under the ruling, payments could still be temporarily reduced depending on available funds.

Around the same time, the Massachusetts decision was issued, a federal judge in Rhode Island delivered a similar ruling from the bench. That case was brought by cities and nonprofit groups, and the court likewise found the administration must use available funds to continue providing benefits.

President Donald Trump indicated his administration would comply with the rulings, but accused the courts of issuing conflicting opinions and is seeking more clarity on how SNAP should be funded.

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Judges say Trump administration can’t suspend SNAP benefits during shutdown

Despite the rulings, it’s unclear when and how much assistance will be given out for the month of November.

With the need still there, Rosa-Saenz opened her backyard to the public Friday afternoon and asked the community to drop off canned goods while trick-or-treating.

The emergency food pantry now holds essential items like canned and dry goods, personal hygiene products and baby items.

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Joanna Rosa-Saenz organizing donations in her Denver backyard.

Rosa-Saenz, a single mother of three, told Denver7 she understands the challenges many families are facing today because she is a former SNAP recipient.

“I remember having to stand in line for a food box, things like that,” Rosa-Saenz said.

But to get the food drive up and running, Rosa-Saenz knew she needed help. Several nonprofits joined the effort, including Lacy McDonald, executive director of Outer Haven, a nonprofit working to reduce youth inequities.

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Pictured: Lacy McDonald, executive director of Outer Haven.

“One phone call can turn into this,” said McDonald. “And this is just a little snippet, so think what we could do together as a whole city.”

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Before trick-or-treating started Friday night, more than 900 pounds of food had been collected for Rosa-Saenz’s backyard.

“That’s what community is,” she said. “Community is stepping up, working together and really making unity in the community.”

Scripps News Group contributed to this report.

If you would like to donate, below is a list of donation locations:

  • 4229 Irving St. in Denver.
    • Open from Nov 1 through Nov. 10
    • Donations can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily
  • 5123 Chase St. in Denver
    • Open from Oct. 31 through Nov. 2
    • Please place donations at the end of the driveway
  • Moonflower Coffee, located at 4200 W Colfax Ave. in Denver
    • Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily

These are the most needed items:

  • Ramen, pasta, rice, cereal
  • Canned tuna, chicken, beans, soup
  • Canned fruits & veggies
  • Peanut butter & jelly
  • Baby food, formula, diapers & wipes
  • Menstrual products, toothpaste & soap
  • Denver7 Gives has created a campaign to help Coloradans struggling with food insecurity. Click on the form below and select “Help Fight Food Insecurity“ to donate.





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