DENVER — Nikola Jokic scored at the beginning and passed in the end, and the Denver Nuggets needed every bit of what he provided to avoid a big collapse.
Jokic scored a season-high 31 points and added 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season, leading the Nuggets to a 119-110 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.
Jokic, who has 35 career triple-doubles, has 11 double-doubles in the last 12 games, helping Denver win eight of its last nine. Will Barton had 20 points and Jamal Murray and Mason Plumlee each scored 15 for the Nuggets, who allowed 42 points in the fourth quarter.
“In the first quarter, they score 11 points and in the fourth they score 42,” said Jokic, who had 14 points in the first. “It’s a huge difference. We have to be focused on closing the halves, closing the quarters, closing the games.”
Memphis shot 61.5% in the fourth quarter and 60.4% in the second half after hitting just 3 of 14 shots in the first quarter.
PELICANS 120, PACERS 98: Brandon Ingram scored 24 points, Jrue Holiday added 20, and suddenly resurgent New Orleans beat Indiana for its third straight victory, in New Orleans.
JJ Redick scored 15 and Lonzo Ball 13, hitting four of eight 3-point shots as he continues to gain comfort with his new shooting motion this season.
Derrick Favors added 10 points and 16 rebounds as New Orleans won for the fourth time in five games after having lost a franchise-record 13 straight before that.
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