Nikola Jokic had 26 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists for the Denver Nuggets, who outscored Memphis 14-1 in the final six minutes to beat the visiting Grizzlies 117-109 on Friday night.
Jokic guaranteed he will be the third player to average triple-double for a season, and the first center. He has 34 triple-doubles this season and 164 in his career.
Denver (49-32) rallied from down 15 to stay in the top six in the Western Conference ahead of the regular-season finale at Houston on Sunday. Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman has won his first two games since taking over for the fired Michael Malone.
Denver’s Aaron Gordon had eight dunks on his way to 33 points, and Jamal Murray scored 15 in his return after missing six games with a hamstring injury. Russell Westbrook recorded 14 points, Christian Braun contributed 12 and Michael Porter Jr. finished with 12 rebounds.
The Nuggets outscored Memphis 25-14 in the fourth quarter and held the Grizzlies without a field goal after trailing 108-103 with 6:05 left.
Desmond Bane had 24 points for the Grizzlies (47-34), who lost for the second straight night and dropped to the No. 8 spot with a game remaining Sunday against the visiting Dallas Mavericks. Memphis is assured of a play-in berth.
Ja Morant scored 21 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 18 points, Luke Kennard had 12 points, Scotty Pippen Jr. added 11 and Zach Edey pulled down 16 rebounds for Memphis.
The Grizzlies missed their last 10 shots and committed four turnovers to end the game.
The game was tied at 97 early in the fourth before when Memphis went on a 6-0 run to go back in front, and the visitors led 108-103 with a chance to extend the lead before going cold.
The Nuggets got within 108-105 on a layup by Jokic. He then fed Gordon for a dunk and split a pair of free throws with 3:28 left to tie it. Jackson missed a short hook in the lane and Murray made a jumper to give Denver the lead for the first time since 7-6.
Westbrook stole Bane’s pass in the lane and then Jokic hit an 8-foot floater to make it 112-108 with 2:12 left, and Denver closed it out.
–Field Level Media
