Nikola Jokic contributed 28 points, 12 assists and 10 returns and Michael Porter Jr. Ended with 30 points when the host Denver Nuggets beat Orlando Magic 112-90 on Thursday evening.
Jokic’s Triple Double was his NBA-leading 24th season, while Porter has hit 30 points in three straight matches.
Christian Braun scored 16 points and Aaron Gordon contributed 11 for Denver, which improved to 10-1 on the other night by back-to-back games.
Wendall Carter Jr. Scored 19 points, Paolo Banchero added 18 and Franz Wagner had 14 points for Magic, who finished 1-5 on his drive.
Nuggets were without three rotational players – Russell Westbrook (hamstring), Peyton Watson (right knee disorder) and Jamal Murray (left knee inflammation). Westbrook has missed the last three games, Watson is expected to miss at least three weeks and Murray is considered day to day.
Gary Harris (left hamstring) and Jalen Suggs (Left Quad Contusion) did not play for Orlando.
Magin led by six during the first quarter, but Denver rose during the second quarter behind Porter’s 16 points. With the game tied at 32, Porter hit a stepback 12-foot. Then he thumped a pass from Gordon and emptied a 26 feet, and Nuggets led 59-50 at half time.
Denver received six straight points to open the third quarter and increased the lead to 65-50. The magic reduced the deficit to 70-58 before the nugs put it away.
Gordon converted a three-point game, Julian Stendher hit his first bucket in the game and Jokic sank a hook shot to stretch the lead to 78-60 halfway through the third. After Carter made two free throw, Porter emptied two 3-points, 2 out of 3 free throw and Braun turned two jocian passes into cans to give Denver a lead of 90-62.
Jokic ended his 154th career triple tub when he recovered Bancheros missed free throw with less than a second left in the quarter.
Nuggets led by 33 at a point in the fourth.
-Field level media
