Nuggets Past Jazz 106-100 in NAB
DENVER (AP) -- Jokic scored 28 points, including six in the final two minutes, and dished out 10 assists as the short-handed Denver Nuggets rode a big second-half run to a 106-100 win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.
"He always sets the temperature for us,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. "If he’s getting down, if he’s dejected, that’s going to trickle down to everybody else. I love his positivity, his encouraging guys. That’s impactful, when you have your best player doing that.”
The Nuggets needed a boost. Jokic led the charge, scoring 11 of Denver’s final 12 points.
Trailing 70-61 with 4:13 left in the third, the Nuggets went on a 15-0 spurt to close out the quarter. They continued their roll in the fourth. In all, it was a 27-1 surge - and nearly wasn’t enough.
A 17-point Denver lead was whittled to three before Jokic took over. The big man who just made his second All-Star team hit a pair of free throws, a long jumper and a floater to restore some breathing room.
Jordan Clarkson scored 24 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter for the Jazz on a night when leading scorer Donovan Mitchell was held to four on 1-for-12 shooting. He didn’t get his first basket until there was 4:05 left. Mitchell was selected to his first All-Star Game earlier in the evening.
He gave his defender, Torrey Craig, full credit.
Craig simply tried to not let Mitchell get on track.
This marked the first of four meetings between the Northwest Division rivals. The Nuggets (33-15) moved a game clear of the Jazz (32-16).
Utah center Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 11 rebounds after making his first All-Star team. The Jazz have dropped three straight.
Down by as many as 11 in the third quarter, the Nuggets took a lead they wouldn’t relinquish on a 3-pointer by Porter with 29.1 seconds left in the period. P.J. Dozier followed with a buzzer-beating 3 to end the third and extend the advantage.
"He always sets the temperature for us,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. "If he’s getting down, if he’s dejected, that’s going to trickle down to everybody else. I love his positivity, his encouraging guys. That’s impactful, when you have your best player doing that.”
The Nuggets needed a boost. Jokic led the charge, scoring 11 of Denver’s final 12 points.
Trailing 70-61 with 4:13 left in the third, the Nuggets went on a 15-0 spurt to close out the quarter. They continued their roll in the fourth. In all, it was a 27-1 surge - and nearly wasn’t enough.
A 17-point Denver lead was whittled to three before Jokic took over. The big man who just made his second All-Star team hit a pair of free throws, a long jumper and a floater to restore some breathing room.
Jordan Clarkson scored 24 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter for the Jazz on a night when leading scorer Donovan Mitchell was held to four on 1-for-12 shooting. He didn’t get his first basket until there was 4:05 left. Mitchell was selected to his first All-Star Game earlier in the evening.
He gave his defender, Torrey Craig, full credit.
Craig simply tried to not let Mitchell get on track.
This marked the first of four meetings between the Northwest Division rivals. The Nuggets (33-15) moved a game clear of the Jazz (32-16).
Utah center Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 11 rebounds after making his first All-Star team. The Jazz have dropped three straight.
Down by as many as 11 in the third quarter, the Nuggets took a lead they wouldn’t relinquish on a 3-pointer by Porter with 29.1 seconds left in the period. P.J. Dozier followed with a buzzer-beating 3 to end the third and extend the advantage.