Nikola Jokic had 31 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high 22 assists and the Denver Nuggets outlasted the Phoenix Suns 149-141 in overtime Friday night after losing a 21-point lead.
Jokic became the first NBA player with a triple-double of at least 30 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists. He tied his own team record with his 29th triple-double of the season, stretching his career total to 149.
Aaron Gordon made a career-high seven 3-pointers and had 27 points for Denver. Kevin Durant scored 29 points for Phoenix, hitting a 3-pointer at regulation buzzer to send it into overtime.
Jokic opened the extra period with a floater in the lane to spark a 7-0 run. The Nuggets led by 11 after Christian Braun's dunk and layup with 51 seconds left.
Three nights after overcoming a 23-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 119-117 at home, the Suns trailed 85-64 in the third and cut it to 11 heading into the fourth. They went ahead 122-120 in the final minute, but Denver answered and took a 125-122 lead on Braun's 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds left.
Phoenix’s Devin Booker scored 16 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter, but was scoreless in overtime. Mason Plumlee had 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Denver outscored Phoenix 12-2 in the first 2:48 of overtime.
Cavaliers rally to extend winning streak
The NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers overcame Miles Bridges’ career-high 46 points and rallied for their 13th straight victory, 118-117 over the Charlotte Hornets.
Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points and Darius Garland added 20 to help the Cavaliers improve to 53-10. Evan Mobley scored 19 points, De’Andre Hunter had 15, Jarrett Allen 14 and Sam Merrill 12.
Bridges was 15 of 32 from the field and 4 of 10 from 3-point range to go with eight rebounds. His shot from halfcourt at the buzzer was off the mark and the Hornets lost their ninth straight to fall to 14-48.
Cleveland led 67-54 early in the second half and were up 87-83 after three quarters. Charlotte rallied with a 21-8 run for a 104-95 lead with 5:41 to play.
The Cavaliers responded with a game-ending 25-15 run, with Hunter’s contested follow shot with 43 seconds giving Cleveland the lead for good at 112-110.
The Cavs have had three winning streaks of 12 or more games this season, the first time that has happened since the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks.
Morant, Bane spark Grizzlies
Ja Morant scored 31 points, including the game’s final seven, and Desmond Bane had 27 points and a career-high 16 rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Dallas Mavericks 122-111.
Reserve Brandon Williams scored a career-high 31 points and Naji Marshall had career bests with 29 points and 17 rebounds for the Mavericks, who have lost four consecutive games and six of their last seven.
The Grizzlies finished on an 18-4 run to snap a season-long four-game losing streak. They played their second straight game without leading scorer Jaren Jackson, Jr., who’s considered week-to-week after injuring his left ankle Monday.
After Williams’ free throw pulled Dallas within 115-111 with 2:06 left, Morant had a layup with 1:35 left, a jumper with a minute to play and a pullup 3-pointer with 30 seconds left.
The Mavericks, playing their second game since losing Kyrie Irving to a season-ending knee injury, made only one field goal in the final seven minutes.
