DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic needed only five shots on his way to a league-leading 11th triple-double of the season. How’s that for efficient.
Jokic finished with 14 points — a perfect 5 of 5 from the floor, 3 of 3 from the line — grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out 16 assists as the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 122-109 on Monday night in a game where LeBron James sat out due to a sore left ankle.
Count Lakers coach Darvin Ham as impressed. It marked the 12th triple-double in league history with five or fewer shots, according to the Nuggets.
“The way (Jokic) puts his fingerprints all over the game, that’s a rarity, especially at his size,” Ham said. “It’s only a few of those guys in the league that’s able to do that.”
Jamal Murray added a season-high 34 points to help the Nuggets win their 11th straight home game. It’s their longest home streak since capturing 12 in a row in 2018.
Denver remains tied with Memphis for the top spot in the Western Conference.
Russell Westbrook finished with 25 points despite dislocating his pinky finger — “I put it back in, twice,” he explained — and Thomas Bryant added 17 along with 10 boards for the Lakers, who saw their five-game winning streak halted.
James was ruled out hours before tipoff, joining injured forward Anthony Davis (right foot) on the bench. Patrick Beverley didn’t play after halftime due to a hip injury.
The Lakers entered the game without Troy Brown Jr. (strained left quadriceps), Austin Reaves (strained hamstring strain) and Lonnie Walker IV (knee tendinitis).