Nikola Jokic scored a 31-point triple-double as the Denver Nuggets held off a late rally to defeat the Indiana Pacers 114-109 on Tuesday.
A wild game in Indianapolis saw the lead change hands 12 times before the Nuggets finally edged clear late in the fourth quarter.
Both teams led by double digits at different stages of the game, with the Pacers opening up a 13-point advantage in the second quarter before a devastating third quarter from Denver -– outscoring Indiana 39-19 –- wrested back the initiative for the reigning NBA champions.
Even then, there was still time for the Pacers to fight back, wiping out the Nuggets’ 13-point fourth quarter advantage to lead briefly before a late burst of scoring sealed Denver’s victory.
“The game opened slow, we didn’t have energy,” Jokic said.
“The whole first half was bad, but the second half was good for us — we controlled the pace, we got the momentum, we were the aggressive ones, and we took the aggressiveness to them.
“We had a really good third quarter. We controlled the pace. We just need to do that in more of the game.”
Jokic finished with 31 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Denver scoring alongside Jamal Murray, who had 31 points with eight rebounds and seven assists.
With the Pacers still missing the injured Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana’s scoring was led by Myles Turner with 22 points while new recruit Pascal Siakam finished with 16 points.
The Pacers meanwhile had head coach Rick Carlisle ejected for questioning a no-foul call on Siakam in the third quarter.
“I got run out because I didn’t like what I was seeing out there at all. Not one bit,” Carlisle explained after the game. “I’ll leave it at that.”
Elsewhere on Tuesday, the New York Knicks won their local derby with the Brooklyn Nets 108-103 after a remarkable late rally.
The Nets looked to be on course for victory after taking a 10-point lead late in the third quarter, only for the Knicks to outscore them 32-18 in the fourth quarter to snatch the win.
Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson each scored 30 points apiece for the Knicks to set up a battling victory.
Mikal Bridges was the pick of Brooklyn’s scorers with 36 points, including seven three-pointers.
