NBA Harris Leads Pistons To Narrow Win Over Travel-Weary Nuggets

The Detroit Pistons edged the Denver Nuggets, the Philadelphia 76ers answered after a heavy defeat, and the New York Knicks closed strong as three Eastern Conference teams collected notable NBA wins on 28 January 2026, with travel issues, injuries and shooting struggles shaping the night’s storylines across the league.

Detroit stayed top of the Eastern Conference, the 76ers recovered from a 37-point loss at Charlotte, and the Knicks extended a winning streak, while Denver, Milwaukee and Sacramento all continued worrying runs, with injuries to Giannis Antetokounmpo and several Nuggets starters adding context to their defeats.

Tobias Harris hit 22 points for the Detroit Pistons, including the decisive pair of free throws with 2 seconds left, as Detroit survived

a furious late Denver surge to secure a 109-107 victory over the travel-weary Nuggets, handing Denver another setback after a disrupted schedule.

Cade Cunningham matched Harris with 22 points and delivered 11 assists, directing the Detroit Pistons offence with control as Detroit claimed a ninth win in 11 games and stretched a commanding 5 1/2-game advantage over the Boston Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

Jamal Murray produced 24 points and 10 assists for Denver but missed crucial free throws in the closing moments, including the first of three foul shots with 4 seconds remaining when the Nuggets trailed 107-104, and another attempt with 0.7 seconds left after Harris had pushed the Detroit Pistons lead back to three.

Jonas Valanciunas returned from a one-game absence for Denver and posted 16 points with 16 rebounds, yet the Nuggets again felt the effects of a winter storm that forced Sunday’s game at the Memphis Grizzlies to be postponed, leaving the team stranded in Memphis until Monday morning before facing the Detroit Pistons without Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic, Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun.

Got it done in Denver pic.twitter.com/Sd8le5L5w0 Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) January 28, 2026

In Philadelphia, Paul George drilled nine 3-pointers on the way to 32 points and Joel Embiid added 29, scoring 18 in the first quarter, as the 76ers overwhelmed the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 139-122 one night after a 130-93 defeat at Charlotte without George and Embiid.

Tyrese Maxey chipped in 22 points for the 76ers, who had trailed the Hornets by 50 entering the fourth quarter in that loss, and despite facing winter-weather disruption that pushed the Charlotte tip-off to 3 p.m. EDT and delayed their return home until after 1 a.m. on 28 January, the restored partnership of Embiid and George energised Philadelphia.

George buried consecutive 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter to stretch an 11-point cushion at the start of the period to 18, while Milwaukee, already on a run of six defeats in seven, leaned on Myles Turner’s 31 points as two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sat with a right calf strain the Bucks said will rule Antetokounmpo out indefinitely.

Maxey and Embiid also combined on a highlight play late in the first half when Maxey lobbed an alley-oop dunk to Embiid and then celebrated by jumping on the spot, with both players smiling toward Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who previously led the 76ers for three seasons before taking charge in Milwaukee.

PG tied the franchise record for most three-pointers in a single game. pic.twitter.com/XpF2tWys6F Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 28, 2026

The New York Knicks completed the night’s Eastern success by beating the Sacramento Kings 103-87, turning a 72-72 deadlock after three quarters into a comfortable win with a 31-15 fourth period, as Jalen Brunson scored 28 points and the Knicks posted a third consecutive victory under coach Mike Brown.

Mikal Bridges supplied 18 points and Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 17 points with 11 rebounds, while the Kings dropped a sixth straight game despite 34 points from DeMar DeRozan and 14 from Russell Westbrook, who combined to shoot 3-for-16 from long range on a night when Sacramento finished 5-for-30 overall from 3-point distance at 16.7% accuracy.

Brown collected a first win as Knicks coach over the franchise that dismissed Brown last season, two years after Brown guided Sacramento to the 2023 playoffs and earned NBA Coach of the Year honours, underscoring how the Detroit Pistons, 76ers and New York Knicks each used strong finishes or key returns to shape a significant set of mid-season results.

let's keep this going pic.twitter.com/DBWhutFiLL NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 28, 2026