NBA: Pair of triple-doubles lead Nuggets past Jazz

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) passes the ball over his back and past Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook recorded triple-doubles, Jamal Murray had 20 points and 10 assists and the Denver Nuggets beat the Utah Jazz 132-121 in Salt Lake City on Monday night in the NBA.

Jokic finished with 36 points, 22 rebounds and 11 assists for his league-leading 13th triple-double of the season and the 143rd of his career — third all-time behind Oscar Robertson (181) and Westbrook (201).

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Jokic’s 22 rebounds are a season high, and Monday marked the third time he had 20 or more in a game this season.

Westbrook finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Michael Porter Jr. scored 21 points, Christian Braun added 20 points and Peyton Watson contributed 13 points off the bench.

Jordan Clarkson led a balanced Utah attack with 24 points off the bench, while Collin Sexton had 22, Lauri Markkanen scored 17, Johnny Juzang had 14 and Walker Kessler finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

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Denver used a 9-2 run early in the third quarter to take a 73-71 lead on Braun’s dunk off a lob from Murray. Jokic ended up scoring 17 points in the frame, where the Nuggets led by as many as nine. They took a 98-89 advantage into the fourth.

Porter scored the Nuggets’ first seven points of the final quarter, and Denver found itself up 105-96 with 9:47 remaining in the game.

Kyle Filipowski’s three-point play cut Denver’s lead to 109-107 with 7:28 to play, but Jokic hit a 25-foot 3-pointer, Westbrook fed Porter for a layup and then Watson for a dunk and Watson scored again during an 11-2 run that gave the Nuggets an 11-point lead with 5:22 left.

The Jazz didn’t get closer than seven points down the stretch.

The Nuggets led 45-39 early in the second quarter, but Utah used a 15-2 run to go ahead 54-47. Denver tied the game late in the period, but the Jazz took a 66-64 lead into halftime. –Field Level Media