DENVER _ Early in the third quarter Saturday night, the Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray drove down the center of the lane and scored on an easy right-handed dunk against the Orlando Magic.
The play was a microcosm of the entire game.
The Magic played with no passion or focus on the defensive end, especially during a dismal first half.
The result was predictable. The Nuggets shot lights-out and thrashed the Magic, 125-107, at the Pepsi Center.
Murray scored a career-high 32 points, and Denver made 53 percent of its shots.
The loss may have been costly. Rookie forward Jonathan Isaac injured his right ankle early in the fourth quarter when he went up for a block and rolled his ankle when he landed. Isaac walked gingerly to the Magic locker room and didn't return to the game. Team officials said he sprained his ankle.
The Magic (8-5), who won Friday night in Phoenix, seemed almost defeated even before they stepped on the court Saturday.
Visiting teams dread playing in Denver on the second night of a back-to-back because of the altitude and the late arrivals caused by the 25-mile drive from Denver International Airport to downtown Denver.
Orlando players suffered from another deficit: They played without their starting point guard, Elfrid Payton.
Payton had played in the Magic's last two games after he had missed eight games due to a left hamstring strain. But Payton continues to feel soreness and tightness in the muscle, so team officials decided not to risk aggravating his injury by playing him on the second night of a back-to-back.
The absences of Payton and D.J. Augustin, who is recovering from a left hamstring strain of his own, left Orlando with Shelvin Mack as the only available true point guard.
The Nuggets (8-5) were better rested.
Saturday's game concluded a six-game homestand in which the Nuggets won five of six games.
On Friday, Denver took an 89-59 lead over Orlando midway through the third quarter.
The Magic cut the deficit to 107-91 midway through the fourth quarter, thanks to Jonathon Simmons' effort off the bench, but couldn't get any closer.
