Naji Marshall had a career high for the second consecutive game with 34 points for the Mavericks, the defending West champs who were down to seven healthy players by the end of the game.

Naji Marshall scored a career-high 26 points ... Christian Braun and Michael Porter Jr. scored 17 points each, Russell Westbrook added 16, Peyton Watson had 15 and Jamal Murray 14 for Denver.

In a thrilling NBA Cup showdown, Naji Marshall erupted for a career ... in the clutch when Dereck Lively II denied Jokic and Russell Westbrook on consecutive layup attempts, preserving a tied ...

Despite the turmoil in which Dallas' premier basketball operation sits currently, Naji Marshall is still giving max effort, evident in his 34-point, nine-rebound, 10-assist outing in the loss.