Nikola Jokic’s triple-double lifts Nuggets past Hornets

Nikola Jokic had 26 factors, 19 rebounds and 11 assists for his nineteenth triple-double of the season, and the Denver Nuggets held on to beat the Charlotte Hornets 113-109 on Monday night time.

Aaron Gordon added 21 factors and Will Barton scored 18 for the Nuggets, who earned a break up of the season collection.

Miles Bridges had 27 factors and 11 rebounds and LaMelo Ball added 22 factors, 11 assists and 6 rebounds for Charlotte, which fell to 1-13 within the second night time of back-to-backs. The loss dropped the Hornets to ninth place within the Japanese Convention, a half-game behind the idle Brooklyn Nets.

The Nuggets at present sit in sixth place within the Western Convention, so there’s an opportunity that they will not host a playoff collection.

However Denver has received a franchise-record 23 street video games this season, so Jokic would not appear all that involved.

“It simply looks like now we have been good on the street,” stated Jokic, providing no clarification as to why.

Denver took an 83-74 lead into the fourth quarter and rapidly prolonged it to 13 factors. The Hornets rallied, battling again to chop the result in one with 4:07 left behind 3-pointers from Isaiah Thomas, Bridges and Ball and an alley-oop dunk by Bridges.

The Hornets had a number of probabilities to tie the sport, however photographs merely would not fall.

Monte Morris put the Nuggets up by 5 with two free throws with 38.8 seconds left earlier than Terry Rozier answered with a 3.

Jokic missed a jumper on Denver’s subsequent possession with the shot clock operating down, however received his personal rebound off a tipped ball and was fouled onerous with 8.6 seconds left. He made each photographs to make it a two-possession recreation and put the Hornets away.

It was the seventeenth offensive rebound for the Nuggets — and the fifth by Jokic. Denver completed with 32 second-chance factors.

The Nuggets held a 51-40 benefit on the glass general.

“Typically you do all the things proper and it simply bounces their manner,” Hornets coach James Borrego stated. “I don’t have the solutions proper now, however I do know now we have to be extra bodily and simply go get them.”

Borrego stated one of many issues he’ll research this offseason is discovering methods to be higher on the second night time of back-to-backs.

For now, Bridges stated it’s time for the Hornets to proceed to struggle for seeding.

“We’re a younger staff and it’s playoff push time, so we actually don’t have time for fatigue,” Bridges stated.

HARRELL EJECTED

Montrezl Harrell and Gordon exchanged phrases and a few mild shoves close to the tip of the third quarter, leading to Harrell getting two technical fouls and being ejected from the sport.

Gordon was assessed one technical foul, however remained within the recreation.

It began when Harrell appeared to step over Austin Rivers — who was on the bottom after taking a shot to the pinnacle — after which shoved Gordon with one arm, prompting a retaliatory shove from Gordon. The 2 then needed to be separated by teammates and, after a protracted delay, Harrell was ejected.

Rivers stayed within the recreation however was seen leaving the world with an ice pack on his head.

GORDON SETS TONE

Gordon set the tone early for the Nuggets, scoring 17 factors within the first quarter — most of these by attacking the rim.

“We talked to him right this moment after lunch, simply speaking to him saying, ‘The way in which you’re enjoying proper now, the man guarding you is saying, How am I going to cease this man?’” Denver coach Michael Malone stated. “While you accept bounce photographs, if you accept 3s, that very same man is saying, ‘Oh, thank goodness this man will not be placing his head down and (going to) the rim.’”

TIP-INS

Nuggets: Morris had 14 factors and 9 assists.

Hornets: Had 33 assists. … Bridges and Terry Rozier had been a mixed 4 of 17 from 3-point vary.

UP NEXT

Nuggets: At Pelicans on Wednesday night time.

Hornets: At Knicks on Wednesday night time.