Kyrie Irving scores 43 points, but Michael Porter scores the Nuggets game-winner

In a duel full of masterpieces from Nikola Jokic and Kyrie Irving, neither of them delivered the decisive blow.

Michael Porter Jr. attacked a closeout and thwarted a 14-footer with 6.5 seconds left, and the Nuggets won a 122-120 thriller against the Mavericks and completed a perfect five-game homestand on Sunday.

Jokic scored 37 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists – just the 11th 35-15-15 game in NBA regular season history and his second. Irving scored 43 points on 17 of 22 field throws. The only two 3-pointers he missed were his last two. Peyton Watson denied one of them, giving Denver (7-3) a chance to tie the game. And Christian Braun denied the other after time was up.

With 49 seconds left, Jokic recovered his own miss to tie the game and set up Denver’s fifth win, which came on the final regulation possession.

Watson continued to thrive in the starting lineup in Aaron Gordon’s place, making all four 3-point attempts en route to 16 points. Porter scored 13 of his 17 points in the first quarter. Jamal Murray scored 13 of his 18 goals in the second half. Julian Strawther added 12 from the bench.

For a moment, it seemed like the Nuggets’ healthy balance wouldn’t be enough to overshadow a supernova game from Irving. He lit up Denver’s second unit in the fourth quarter with three quick jumpers from distance, turning the Mavericks’ three-point deficit into a three-point lead. No one could stop him from taking his place, not Braun and not the supporting cast that Denver tried to woo Irving with.

But Luka Doncic had 24 points on 9 of 19 shooting, and new Maverick Klay Thompson contributed just 10 points.

The Nuggets more or less survived a stretch of more than six minutes early in the second quarter with Jokic on the bench and Doncic on the floor. At first it was hard. Russell Westbrook had two turnovers that led to easy shots and Zeke Nnaji missed two free throws. But the window was lengthened by a lack of dead balls after Jokic went on the scoresheet, and Denver stole five straight points from Watson and Strawther.