Jokić has 26 points and 10 assists as Nuggets beat Pelicans 116-108
Nikola Jokić had 26 points (14 in the paint) and 10 assists, and the Denver Nuggets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 116-108.
The Nuggets took control with an 18-5 run bridging the third and fourth quarters and led by as many as 15.
Jamal Murray had 23 points and 9 assists. Jokić and Murray set each other up for 7 baskets and 14 points. Jokić made all 4 of his hook shots. He has taken 1,432 hook shots since 2017-18, the second-most in the NBA, and made 60.5% of them (the league: 48.0%).
For the Pelicans, Zion Williamson scored 24 points (12 in the third quarter). The Pelicans had 7 players in double-digit scoring.
The Nuggets shot 52.5% from the field to the Pelicans’ 41.6% and outscored them 62-44 in the paint. They took 16 of their 80 shots from 3 (20%), the lowest share of their season. They had averaged 38%. The Pelicans’ starters were outscored 38-26 in 14 minutes together.