Nuggets' offense craters down stretch in Cleveland without big guns

Denver Nuggets v Cleveland Cavaliers | David Liam Kyle/GettyImagesFor three quarters, it looked like the shorthanded Nuggets were going to get their second straight win without Nikola Jokic in Cleveland on Friday night. However, as the fourth quarter began, the Cavs intensified their defense, and the Denver role players tightened up, missing shots they had been making all night.

After scoring 97 points through three quarters, the Nuggets went ice cold, scoring just 8 points until a meaningless Jamal Murray three in the final seconds. The Cavaliers were on a 23-8 run to that point, and a 10-0 run over the final few minutes, to seal a 113-108 victory in a game that Denver had led by…