Nikola Jokic overcame a slow start to finish with a triple-double and the visiting Denver Nuggets came back from a 17-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 132-129 in overtime on Sunday night.
Jokic was scoreless until late in the second quarter, but finished with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, his NBA-best 11th triple-double of the season. He scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half and overtime. Jamal Murray also scored 27 runs while Russell Westbrook scored 21 runs.
Reserve Jordan Hawkins scored a season-high 25 points and CJ McCollum had 24 points to pace the Pelicans.
Jokic made the first three baskets of overtime for the Nuggets, then assisted on Gordon’s tiebreaking basket before Jamal Murray added a layup. New Orleans got within double digits twice after that, but could get no closer.
Rockets 114, Raptors 110
Dillon Brooks scored 27 points, Jalen Green added 22 points and Houston bounced past host Toronto, handing the Raptors their seventh consecutive loss.
Alperen Sengun contributed 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Rockets, who have won two in a row. Toronto’s Ja’Cobe Walter scored 14 of his career-best 27 points in the first quarter and fouled out with 2:40 remaining in the game.
Houston outshot Toronto by 18 at the free-throw line, making 27 of 33 attempts compared to 9 of 13 for the Raptors, as well in the paint (62-50) and second-chance points (21-10). Too.
Pacers 122, Kings 95
Pascal Siakam led a balanced attack with 19 points, Tyrese Haliburton enjoyed his first winning homecoming and visiting Indiana upset struggling Sacramento.
Playing for the second time in Sacramento after being assigned to the Pacers from the Kings in February 2022, Haliburton contributed 14 points, eight assists and five rebounds in Indiana’s fourth consecutive win. Siakam finished his team-high point total with a team-high 10 rebounds, giving him his second consecutive double-double and fourth of the season. Myles Turner (15 points), Ben Shepard (14), Nembhard (12), TJ McConnell (12) and Obi Toppin (11) also scored in double figures.
De’Aaron Fox was the game’s top scorer with 23 points for the Kings, who shot only 36.5 percent. He added seven assists. Domantas Sabonis, who went from Indiana to Sacramento in the six-player Haliburton trade, had 17 points and a game-high 21 rebounds.
–Field Level Media
