BROOKLYN 125, DENVER 119

DENVER • The Nuggets needed one last surge Saturday at Ball Arena to secure home-court advantage for their first-round playoff series, but they didn’t get it.

After the Nuggets led by as many as 21, the Brooklyn Nets won 125119. With a win, the Nuggets would have created enough distance from a 39-28 Dallas Mavericks team, which has five games remaining on the schedule, to secure a top-four finish.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 17 points in the first quarter, helping the Nuggets to a 13-point advantage to start the second quarter. The Nuggets maintained a 15-point advantage at halftime.

Kyrie Irving and Blake Griffin led a Nets charge early in the third quarter, cutting Denver’s lead to three at one point, but Porter and Facu Campazzo hit 3-pointers to help the Nuggets get the lead back to 10.

Brooklyn reserve Jeff Green would help the Nets get back within three points early in the fourth, and 3-pointers from Kevin Durant and Joe Harris would give the Nets a lead, their first since the opening minutes, midway through the fourth, and the Nuggets lacked one last punch.

Nikola Jokic and Porter led the Nuggets with 29 and 28 points, respectively.

Denver played without Aaron Gordon, who was ruled out in the hour before tipoff, and Paul Millsap, who rested on the second night of a backto-back.

Durant led all scorers with 33 points, while Irving added 31.