Jamal Murray’s season-high scoring night came on the heels of Michael Malone almost shutting him down at halftime in Denver’s previous game on Sunday.

Jamal Murray, who signed a four-year, $208 million contract extension last year, produced his best offensive performance of the season Tuesday, scoring a season-high 45 points in leading the Denver Nuggets to a 118-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

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The Nuggets have won three straight including a 112-101 win Sunday in Dallas against these Mavericks. Russell Westbrook scored 21 to pace the Nuggets while also pulling down 10 rebounds. Klay Thompson had 25 for the Mavs in the loss. That defeat snapped a modest two-game win streak for Dallas.

Although Dallas is banged up, the Mavericks are being undervalued on the spread heading into tonight's Western Conference showdown against Denver.