Nikola Jokic scored 26 points, added 10 assists and nine rebounds, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 130-112 win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Cam Johnson scored 26, while Jamal Murray contributed 24 points as Denver pulled away late to snap a one-game skid.
The Nuggets shot 57.9% from 3-point range, making 22 of 38 triples, including 10 in the first half and 12 in the second. Tim Hardaway Jr. came off the bench to score 23 points, connecting on 7 of 11 from beyond the arc.
Denver extended a 63-60 halftime lead by hitting eight 3-pointers in the third quarter, pushing the advantage to 96-85 entering the fourth. The Suns briefly cut the deficit to nine early in the fourth, but the Nuggets responded with a 12-0 run to secure a comfortable lead.
Jokic played limited minutes in the fourth quarter, finishing just shy of his 11th triple-double of the season. Murray added five rebounds and four assists, while Peyton Watson scored 11 points with five rebounds to complement the team’s hot shooting.
For Phoenix, Dillon Brooks led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting, and Devin Booker tallied 24 points, making 14 of 15 free throws. Grayson Allen returned after missing over two weeks with a bruised quadriceps, contributing 10 points off the bench.
The Nuggets bounced back from Friday’s loss to San Antonio, improving to 14-5. The Suns, who have dropped three of four, fell to 12-9. Denver will host the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, while Phoenix begins a road back-to-back at the Los Angeles Lakers.
