Nikola Jokic had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, Tim Hardaway Jr. tied a season high with 23 points while making a season-high seven 3-pointers, and the Denver Nuggets beat the host Phoenix Suns 130-112 for their seventh straight road victory Saturday.
Jamal Murray had 24 points and five threes for the Nuggets, who were 22 of 38 from distance (57.9%), tying a season high for makes.
Dillon Brooks had 27 points, Devin Booker had 24 and Royce O’Neale had 15 for the Suns, who had won nine of 12 and had advanced to the NBA Cup quarterfinals Friday despite a loss at Oklahoma City.
Jokic fell just short of his 11th triple-double this season as the Nuggets rebounded from a home loss to San Antonio on Friday that cost them a spot in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
The Nuggets shot a season-high 57.9 percent from the field, the 13th time they have topped 50 percent this season. They are 11-2 when they reach that plateau.
Denver, which has not lost two straight this season, pulled away late in the third quarter and early in the fourth.
Hardaway made two threes, Peyton Watson hit one and Murray completed a three-point play for a 94-81 lead late in the third. It was 96-85 after three.
Spencer Jones’ three gave the Nuggets a 110-89 lead three minutes into the fourth quarter, and the Suns never were closer than 12. Jones had four threes and 16 points.
The Nuggets committed 17 total turnovers leading to 23 Suns points, but their hot shooting more than compensated. The Suns shot 44.3% from the field, 33.3% from 3-point range and had seven turnovers.
Jokic had 13 points in the first quarter as the Nuggets took a 30-25 lead as the Suns played without Mark Williams, out with a calf injury.
The Nuggets played without injured starters Christian Braun (ankle) and Aaron Gordon (hamstring). The Suns also were without Jalen Green (hamstring) and Ryan Dunn (wrist).
Hardaway had four of his threes in the second quarter, when the Nuggets opened a nine-point lead that dwindled to 63-60 at half. Brooks had 19 points in the first half, including 12 in the second quarter.
–Field Level Media
