Field Level Media
Jan 26, 2019
Nikola Jokic registered 32 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season as the host Denver Nuggets knocked off the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers 126-110 on Saturday night.
Mason Plumlee scored 17 points and Will Barton added 16 as the Nuggets won for the 12th time in their past 16 games. Torrey Craig tallied 15 points, Malik Beasley added 14 and Monte Morris had 10.
JJ Redick scored 22 points and Corey Brewer added season bests of 20 points and four steals for the 76ers, who were without Joel Embiid (back), Jimmy Butler (wrist) and Wilson Chandler (hamstring).
Ben Simmons posted 19 points and 12 rebounds, Shake Milton scored 11 points and Mike Muscala had 10 as Philadelphia lost for just the second time in the past seven games.
Jamal Murray (ankle) sat out for the Nuggets. Jokic was back in the lineup after serving a one-game suspension for leaving the bench area during a minor altercation in Wednesday's game against the Utah Jazz.
Denver shot 51.1 percent from the field and was 8-of-24 from 3-point range.
The 76ers were 14-of-36 from behind the arc and shot 41.8 percent overall.
Philadelphia scored the first seven points of the third quarter to move within two before Denver answered with an 11-2 run to begin pulling away. Later in the quarter, Jokic's three-point play capped a 10-3 burst as the Nuggets increased the advantage to 105-90 with 1:35 remaining.
Denver held a 107-96 lead entering the final stanza but stretched its lead to 116-100 on Plumlee's dunk with 8:20 left.
The 76ers were unable to make a late-game charge and Denver led by as many as 18 while cruising to the finish.
Jokic recorded 20 points and 12 rebounds in the first half as the Nuggets led 77-68 at the break.
Jokic scored 17 points in a frantic first quarter that ended with Denver holding a 41-37 lead.
The Nuggets led by as many as 13 in the second quarter before settling for the nine-point halftime advantage.
--Field Level Media