Nikola Jokic posts 11th triple-double of the season, Nuggets beat Morant-less Grizzlies 142-105

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 26 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Denver Nuggets posted their highest point total of the season in a 142-105 win over the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night.

Memphis played without Ja Morant, who was sidelined due to illness. Morant missed his first game since returning from a 25-game suspension at the start of the season. The Grizzlies had won all four games in which Morant has played since making his season debut Dec. 19 at New Orleans.

Desmond Bane led Memphis with 23 points, and Marcus Smart scored 17. Memphis is 6-20 when Morant is out of the lineup.

Jokic hit all 11 of his field goal attempts, including one 3-pointer, along with three free throws. He converted all 18 of his free throws Monday against Golden State. Jokic went to the bench after feeding Christian Braun for a dunk with 1:31 left in the third quarter and completing his 11th triple-double of the season.

It was the 116th regular-season triple-double of Jokic’s career, and that ranks fourth all-time in NBA history and 22 behind Magic Johnson for third place. Russell Westbrook tops the list with 198, and Oscar Robertson has 181 all-time

Jamal Murray scored 20 or more points for the fourth straight game, finishing with 23 points and nine assists. Peyton Watson scored a career-high 20 for Denver, which has won six in a row, also a season best. Murray had 10 points in a high-scoring third quarter when the Nuggets’ lead rached 32 points, before the Grizzlies cut it to 23.

Denver outscored Memphis 41-35 in the period and led by as many 38 in the fourth.

The Grizzlies led by eight early, but a 16-0 Denver run spanning the first and second quarters gave the reigning champs a 15-point lead. Memphis closed within 45-41 midway through the second period before the Nuggets went on an 18-2 run for a 65-48 lead at halftime.

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