The Denver Nuggets were expected to handle the short-handed Indiana Pacers when the NBA returned to Mexico City on Saturday, and that is exactly what happened: Denver defeated Indiana 114-102 at Arena CDMX on November 7 in the 16th regular-season NBA game played in Mexico, according to ESPN Deportes. The Nuggets, playing their first regular-season game on Mexican soil, never trailed after the opening minutes and carried a 23-point lead into the fourth quarter before holding off a late Pacers rally.
Nikola Jokic set the tone, finishing with 19 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists — his sixth double-double of the season, a total that dwarfs the rest of Denver’s roster combined, which has one, ESPN Deportes reported. The performance left him two assists shy of a triple-double, which would have been only the second in the history of NBA games in Mexico; the only one belongs to Luka Doncic, who posted 41 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists against the Detroit Pistons in 2019, according to Sports Illustrated.
Jokic Dominates the First Half as Denver Builds a 23-Point Lead
Denver controlled the game early. The Nuggets won the first quarter 27-19 behind 10 points, six rebounds and three assists from Jokic, ESPN Deportes reported. Infobae.com added that Cameron Johnson and Aaron Gordon each chipped in four points in transition during that opening period, and that Denver went up 51-32 by the middle of the second quarter thanks to bench production from DeMar DeRozan and Marvin Bagley III.
The lead reached 64-41 at halftime after Denver ripped off a 30-9 run over the final nine minutes of the half, SI.com reported. In that stretch, the scoring spread across the roster — Johnson had nine points at the break, Bagley eight, Jamal Murray seven — and Indiana shot just 16 of 48 from the field, 33 percent, with Pascal Siakam limited to eight points.
Pacers Rally in the Third Quarter but Fall Short in the Fourth
Indiana made its push after halftime. The Pacers won the third quarter 37-26, fueled by Ivica Zubac in the paint, Siakam and Larry Nance Jr., who hit five of five from three-point range, SI.com reported. The run cut Denver’s lead to 12 at one point, and Siakam carried Indiana to within 102-95 in the final minutes, Infobae.com reported. Denver then closed the game out, with both teams scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter en route to the 114-102 final.
Siakam finished as Indiana’s top scorer with 23 points, followed by Nance Jr. with 15, SI.com reported. For Denver, Johnson added 18 points, Murray 16 points and eight assists, and Spencer Jones 13 off the bench. The Nuggets outrebounded the Pacers 51-45.
Haliburton’s Absence Looms Over Indiana’s Season
The Pacers played without Tyrese Haliburton, who is out with a hamstring injury and has missed six straight games, ESPN Deportes reported. Indiana is 1-5 without him this season, scoring 107.0 points per game, compared with 2-2 and 116.5 points per game with him. The Pacers have not won two consecutive games this season and are 1-12 in their last 13 meetings with Denver.
Meanwhile, the win gave the Nuggets their fifth of the season and their first back-to-back double-digit victories, and improved them to 4-0 against teams with losing records, ESPN Deportes reported. Indiana fell to its seventh loss.
Mexico City Embraces Jokic, Not the Home Team
Indiana, as the administrative home team, tried to win over the 20,191 fans at Arena CDMX — leaving yellow shirts on the seats, handing out more during the game and having coach Rick Carlisle plead for crowd support in media appearances, SI.com reported. The loudest cheers went to Jokic, who heard “MVP” chants from his first free throws.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver attended the game, the 35th regular-season contest the league has staged in the Mexican capital since 1992, Infobae.com reported. Asked about expansion, Silver said the league’s priority remains the United States, though several investors in Mexico have approached the league, and he said he had no doubt a franchise in Mexico would be successful — but that would have to wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Nuggets play the Pacers in Mexico City?
The game took place on Saturday, November 7, at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, according to ESPN Deportes and Infobae.com.
Was this the first NBA regular-season game in Mexico for both teams?
Yes for the regular season — though the Nuggets played a preseason game in Monterrey in 2006, ESPN Deportes reported. Overall, it was the 16th regular-season NBA game in Mexico and the 35th in the country since 1992.
How close was Jokic to a triple-double?
He finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists — two assists short. The only triple-double in NBA Mexico history is Luka Doncic’s 41-12-11 against Detroit in 2019, SI.com reported.
What Remains Unanswered
Haliburton’s return date is still unclear — he has missed six straight games and Indiana’s record without him (1-5) versus with him (2-2) shows what is at stake — and Silver declined to commit to a Mexico franchise, saying expansion priority sits with the United States even as he predicted a Mexican team would succeed.
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