HOUSTON – Nikola Jokic recorded his 100th career triple-double and Jamal Murray had 32 points as the Denver Nuggets drove to a 133-112 win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
Jokic had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his NBA-leading 24th triple-double this season and his 15th in the last 20 games. The Nuggets have won every game he had a triple-double in this season and 28 straight games dating back to last season.
Jokic needed just three quarters to become the sixth player in league history with 100 triple-doubles, with the big man sitting out the entire fourth place with the game.
The hapless Rockets were finished off by a balanced attack from the Nuggets, a game after Damian Lillard posted a career-high 71 points in a loss to the Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Michael Porter Jr. added 17 points and Bruce Brown had 15 off the bench to give the Nuggets their second straight win and sixth in their last seven games.
Jalen Green had 17 points on his return after missing two games with a strained left groin, and rookie Tari Eason also had 17 as the Rockets lost their 10th straight.
Denver, which leads the Western Conference, never lagged behind and dominated Houston for most of the night. The Nuggets led by as much as 26 and went into the fourth quarter 106-84.
Denver was 20 minutes from the end when coach Michael Malone took out the rest of his starters and vacated the bench.
The Nuggets were 20 points clear at halftime and had extended the lead to 86-60 in the third quarter after a 6-0 run with Porter’s last four points with about 8 ½ minutes to go. The Rockets then went on an 11-5 run, powered by seven points from Green, to go 91-71 midway through the quarter.
After that, Denver got going again, using an 8-2 sprint to go 99-73 a few minutes later.
TIP INS
Nuggets: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 14 points and six assists. …Aaron Gordon hit 11 with five assists and seven rebounds. …Denver made 16 3-pointers.
Rockets: Coach Stephen Silas said Kevin Porter Jr. is expected to return Wednesday night after missing 20 games with a sore toe. … Boban Marjanovic delighted the home crowd when he came on late in the fourth quarter and scored eight points. …Eason led the team with 12 rebounds.
NEXT
Nuggets: Memphis hosts Friday night.
Rockets: host Memphis Wednesday night. ___
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