DENVER – Nikola Jokic had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his fifth triple-double of the season, and the Denver Nuggets completed a sweep of a five-game homestand with a 109-100 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
It was Jokic’s eighth consecutive double-double and his second triple-double in that span. He has 33 career triple-doubles.
Jamal Murray scored 28 points, including nine in the final minutes of the third quarter to stem a rally by the Timberwolves.
Minnesota, playing without center Karl-Anthony Towns for the second consecutive game due to a sprained left knee, has lost nine consecutive gamesw.
The Nuggets flipped the script from Wednesday when they trailed Orlando by 19 in the third quarter and went on a 32-2 run to take a lead they never relinquished.
Denver never trailed Friday, using a fast start to force the Timberwolves to play catch-up. The Nuggets hit 13 of their first 15 shots before missing five consecutive shots to end the first quarter.
Minnesota got within four points in the second and trailed by just two late in the third, but was never able to take the lead. The Timberwolves had a couple of chances to go up when it was 72-70, but missed two 3-pointers and the Nuggets pulled way.
Denver led by as many as 19 points late in the fourth before Minnesota pulled within single digits.
Timberwolves: Play at Portland on Saturday night.
Nuggets: Travel to Los Angeles and face the Lakers on Sunday night.
