Nikola Jokic scored 23 points in his second consecutive triple-double, and his jumper with 11.5 seconds remaining broke a tie and pushed the Denver Nuggets to a 125-123 victory over the host Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
Jokic added 17 rebounds and tied a season high with 17 assists for his 29th triple-double of the season. He reached the plateau 11 seconds into the second half, when his 10th assist set up Aaron Gordon’s dunk.
Jamal Murray scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter as the Nuggets (45-28) ran their winning streak to three games.
Devin Booker amassed 22 points and eight assists while Jalen Green and Grayson Allen scored 21 apiece for the Suns (40-33), who have lost six of seven.
Hornets 134, Kings 90
Charlotte matched a franchise record by making 26 3-pointers, including Coby White’s 6-for-8 performance off the bench, and the red-hot Hornets blasted visiting Sacramento.
The Hornets earned its fourth consecutive win — all of which have come by double digits — and their 12th victory in the past 15 games behind its long-range barrage. White, who led all scorers with 27 points, was one of eight Hornets to hit at least one 3-pointer. Seven made multiple triples, including LaMelo Ball, who went 6 of 13 from deep on his way to 20 points.
Sacramento, opening a five-game Eastern Conference road swing, took their third loss in four games. The 90 points equaled the Kings’ second-lowest performance of the season. Daeqwon Plowden scored a team-high 22 points.
Cavaliers 136, Magic 131
Donovan Mitchell scored 16 of his 42 points in the third quarter and James Harden added 26 points and seven assists, lifting Cleveland to a victory over visiting Orlando.
Evan Mobley made all eight of his field-goal attempts and finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Cavaliers, who have won four consecutive games.
Paolo Banchero had 36 points, going 13-for-15 from the foul line, and Tristan da Silva scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter for the Magic. Orlando lost its sixth in a row — immediately after winning seven straight — to fall into a tie for eighth in the East.
Knicks 121, Pelicans 116
Jalen Brunson scored 32 points, Karl-Anthony Towns produced a double-double and New York won its seventh consecutive game, defeating visiting New Orleans.
Towns finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks, and OG Anunoby also scored 21 points.
Zion Williamson scored 22, Jeremiah Fears put up 21 and Saddiq Bey had 18 for the Pelicans, who have lost two in a row after a 5-1 run.
–Field Level Media
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