PHOENIX (AP) — Nikola Jokic scored 26 points, Jamal Murray added 24 and the Denver Nuggets pulled away late to beat the Phoenix Suns 130-112 on Saturday night.
The hot-shooting Nuggets made 22 of 38 3-pointers (57.9%) — hitting 10 in the first half and 12 in the second for a steady stream of offense. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 23 points off the bench and was 7 of 11 from behind the arc.
Jokic — who barely played in the fourth quarter — was 7 of 7 from the field and added 10 assists and nine rebounds to finish just shy of his 11th triple-double this season.
Denver pushed its lead to 96-85 entering the fourth quarter after hitting eight 3-pointers in the third. The Suns cut the deficit to nine early in the fourth but the Nuggets responded with the next 12 points to build a comfortable 110-89 advantage.
The Nuggets bounced back from Friday night’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The Suns have lost three of four.
Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Devin Booker scored 24, making 14 of 15 free throws.
The Nuggets had a 63-60 lead at halftime after shooting 10 of 16 (62.5%) from 3-point range. Jokic had 18 points and Hardaway added 17. Brooks led the Suns with 19.
Suns guard Grayson Allen returned after missing more than two weeks with a bruised quadriceps. He finished with 10 points.
Up next
Nuggets: Host the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.
Suns: At the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
By DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer
