NBA: Nuggets improve to 18-0 when Nikola Jokic has triple-double
FILE-Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets brings the ball down the court against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first quarter at Ball Arena on January 05, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
Nikola Jokic recorded his 18th triple-double of the season and Jamal Murray scored a season-high 41 points to give the Denver Nuggets a 128-108 win over the visiting Atlanta Hawks and extend their winning streak to three games.
Jokic had 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting with 18 rebounds and 10 assists. He has put up triple-doubles in nine of his last 11 games, and the Nuggets have won all 18 this season when he achieves the feat.
Jokic has shot 50 percent or better from the field in 40 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league.
Murray topped 30 points for the third straight game, hitting 15 of 24 from the floor, including seven 3-pointers, with five rebounds and seven assists. The Nuggets improved to 13-1 when Murray scores 25-plus points.
Jamal Murray was HOOPING tonight!
A season-high 41 PTS, 7 3PM, 7 AST and a @nuggets win 🔥 pic.twitter.com/epBtvvgdiK
— NBA (@NBA) February 5, 2023
Michael Porter Jr. scored 23 points and Aaron Gordon scored 15 for the Nuggets.
The win gave Denver a split of the season series with Atlanta. The Nuggets have won three straight against Atlanta in Denver.
Atlanta’s Trae Young, who averages 27 points and 9.9 assists, missed the game with a non-COVID illness and watched the game from the bench. Rookie AJ Griffin took his place in the starting lineup and scored 15 points.
Dejounte Murray had 28 points, 15 in the third quarter, with 10 assists for his seventh double-double. De’Andre Hunter scored 20 points and Clint Capela had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Denver broke the game open midway in the second quarter. The Hawks cut the lead to 43-39 on a 3-pointer by Griffin with 6:44 left, only to have the Nuggets outscore them 27-13 and take a 70-52 lead into intermission.
Denver led by as many as 22 points in the third quarter, but the Hawks cut the lead to 97-86 going into the fourth.
Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope sprained his right ankle in the first half and did not return.
Atlanta completes its five-game road trip on Tuesday at New Orleans. The Nuggets have a back-to-back on Sunday at Minnesota.
