In a tourney anticipated to be dominated by seasoned stars, it was a confident, undrafted novice who ended up retaining the night.
Ryan Nembhard delivered a name performance as the Dallas loners secured a 131 – 121 palm over the Denver Nuggets, adding another twist to the Western Conference plot.
A Breakout Night in a High-Profile NBA Matchup
With Kyrie Irving still recovering from an ACL injury, Nembhard was handed more responsibility, and he responded in style.
The former Gonzaga guard finished with 28 points and 10 assists, shooting an extraordinary 12- of- 14 from the bottom and hitting four of his five three-point attempts. Indeed, more impressively, he did it all without giving up a single development.
“I’m feeling great,” Nembhard said post-game. “Always got confidence in my game, I put so much work in, and I’m just confident in what I do. So, nice to get a win out here.”
It’s the kind of performance that makes suckers sit up and take notice. Playing a season-high 35 twinkles, Nembhard controlled the pace and looked fully at ease in a fast-moving Denver Nuggets tourney.
It was also his third straight launch, following a promising spin against the Los Angeles Lakers.
A Rising Name in the Dallas Mavericks Line-Up
Nembhard’s overall season numbers, 5.4 points and 2.9 assists, hardly tell the story of how rapidly he’s settling into the Mavericks’ system.
Anyone who followed his council days won’t be shocked; he led the nation by assists last time and set a new single-season record at Gonzaga with 344.
OH MY ROOKS ‼️
: KFAA pic.twitter.com/5V29DtNcF0
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) December 2, 2025
His development naturally draws comparisons to his aged family, Andrew Nembhard, now thriving with the Indiana Bellwethers.
Andrew has surged to averages of 17.2 points and 6.2 assists this season after helping guide the Bellwethers to the NBA Tests last time.
Veteran Support Adds Balance to the Mavericks’ Attack
While Nembhard stole the captions, he wasn’t alone in lifting Dallas past the defending titleholders. Klay Thompson added a steady 15 points on 5 – 10 shooting, offering pivotal support and helping stretch the bottom against a strong Nuggets defence.
The mix of immature confidence and staggered trustworthiness gave Dallas exactly what they demanded in this tightly queried NBA clash.
This palm won’t just show up as another number in the standings; it’s a clear sign that the loners have depth and adaptability indeed, with crucial players sidelined.
For Denver, the defeat will serve as a reminder that indeed the strongest brigades can be caught out by an arising gift.
For Dallas, though, the real story is Nembhard. Undrafted or not, he’s proving he’s more than just a temporary stand-in.
Performances like this don’t go unnoticed, and if he continues on this upward path, the Mavericks may well have discovered one of the most exciting young contributors in the Western Conference this season.
In what could easily have been another routine NBA fixture, the Nuggets vs Mavericks clash turned into a statement and Ryan Nembhard was the one holding the microphone.
