Jokic reaches 200 triple-doubles in 104-91 win

Nikola Jokic recorded his 200th career regular season triple-double on Wednesday night. He finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists for the Denver Nuggets. The team defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 104-91, in a game where Denver never trailed.

The Nuggets built a 22-point lead in the first half and kept a comfortable margin for most of the contest. Jamal Murray led the scoring with 23 points, while Aaron Gordon contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds. This victory completed a two-game sweep of the Pelicans, following a 23-point comeback win in Denver on Saturday.

New Orleans managed to close the gap briefly in the fourth quarter. Zion Williamson scored 25 points and hit a three-pointer that cut the lead to 88-83. Murray answered with a three-pointer and a driving finger roll to push the advantage back to 10 points.

Jokic now needs 10 more regular season triple-doubles to become the all-time NBA leader. That record currently belongs to Russell Westbrook, who retired after last season. The Nuggets played with several injuries and used only nine players. They did not have Cam Johnson, Alpha Diallo, Julian Strawther, or Spencer Jones available.

Denver shot 62% from the field in the first quarter. Marvin Bagley’s runner gave Denver its largest lead at 44-22 with about nine minutes left in the second half. The Pelicans struggled from beyond the arc, making only seven of their 30 three-point attempts.

The winless Pelicans are 0-4 under first-year coach Jamahl Mosley. Derik Queen had 11 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans. The Nuggets will visit Phoenix on Friday night for an NBA Cup group stage opener.