Nikola Jokic scored 21 points, 19 rebounds, and 15 assists, while Michael Porter Jr. added 22 points and 11 rebounds as the host Denver Nuggets defeated the struggling Washington Wizards 130-110 on Thursday night.
Jokic, who made all ten field goal attempts, has at least one triple-double against every NBA team he has faced, joining Russell Westbrook and LeBron James as the only players to do so. Jokic has 16 triple-doubles this season and 121 in his career.
Denver’s Jamal Murray scored 18 points, Aaron Gordon added 17 points, Christian Braun had 12 points and 10 rebounds, Peyton Watson had 11 points and a career-high four blocked shots, and Reggie Jackson also scored 11 points to end a three-game losing streak.
Kyle Kuzma scored 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his return to the lineup for the Wizards, who have lost nine consecutive games. Tyus Jones led Washington with 13 points and 14 assists, Jordan Poole added 18 points, and Corey Kispert had 12.
The Nuggets led by 15 late in the first, but Poole’s three free throws early in the second cut the Wizards’ deficit to 38-28. Watson hit a 3-pointer during a 7-0 run, Jokic fed Gordon for a dunk, and Gordon sank a layup to put Denver up 60-38.
Bagley’s finger roll halted the momentum, but the Nuggets finished the second quarter strong, leading 72-49 at halftime.
Washington scored the first six points of the third quarter, but Denver quickly regained the lead by more than 20 points. Jokic completed his triple-double with an assist on Gordon’s three-point play, and Watson had a steal and two free throws to make the score 88-64 with 7:06 remaining in the third.
The Nuggets extended their lead to 95-67, but the Wizards rallied to get within 99-83 late in the third. Denver scored the next 10 points, spanning the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter, to lead 109-83.
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