New Orleans Pelicans 108-116 Denver Nuggets: Jokic shines
Nikola Jokic posted 26 points and 10 assists as the Denver Nuggets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 116-108 at the Smoothie King Center.
Result and how the game was decided
The Denver Nuggets won 116-108 away to the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center in the NBA. Nikola Jokic led the way with 26 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists, and Jamal Murray added 23 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.
Denver took the first quarter 29-23 and never let that early edge slip. New Orleans won the second quarter 28-27 and the third 31-30, but the Nuggets closed it out by taking the fourth 30-26.
Key moments
The opening quarter proved decisive, with Denver's six-point margin in that period holding up across a tight game. The middle two quarters were each settled by a single point in the Pelicans' favour, keeping the hosts within reach.
The Nuggets then outscored New Orleans 30-26 in the final quarter to outlast their hosts. Jokic and Murray carried the creative load, combining for 19 assists between them.
The numbers
Zion Williamson top-scored for New Orleans with 24 points, while Yves Missi led the Pelicans on the boards with eight rebounds. Jeremiah Fears provided seven assists for the home side.
For Denver, Jokic was the leading performer in points, rebounds and assists. His 26 points were the most by any player in the game.
What it means
The win moves the Denver Nuggets to 7-4, placing them 10th of 30 teams after 11 games. They have scored 1261 points and conceded 1241 so far this season.
The New Orleans Pelicans drop to 4-10 and sit 24th of 30 after 14 games. They have scored 1622 points and conceded 1749 in that time.
This article was written with automation from verified sports data and checked against that data before publishing. How we work
