Nuggets beat Clippers 121-100

Nikola Jokic finished with his second consecutive triple-double -- 18 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists -- and Jamal Murray scored 23 points as the host Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 121-100 on Thursday night. Mason Plumlee had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Malik Beasley scored 15 points for Denver, which has won seven of its last eight. Tobias Harris had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Lou Williams scored 19 points and Danilo Gallinari had 18 against his former team.

Los Angeles scored the first two baskets of the third quarter to make it a seven-point game and force Denver to use a timeout, but the Nuggets took control after that, going on a 12-2 run to lead 77-60. The Clippers committed two turnovers, missed five field goals and Gallinari missed a pair of free throws during Denver's surge. Montrezl Harrell had a dunk and layup to get Los Angeles within 82-71 late in the period, but an alley-oop by Plumlee and a 3-pointer by Trey Liles put Denver ahead 93-76 heading into the fourth quarter. Denver increased the lead to 21 early in the fourth and the Clippers could never really threaten.

Jokic completed his fifth triple-double of the season with a baseball pass to Trey Lyles for a layup that made it 111-90. Gallinari was playing in Denver for the first time since the Nuggets traded him to the Clippers in a three-team deal in the summer of 2017. He received a smattering of cheers when he was introduced before the game and scored 12 points in the first half to keep Los Angeles close. Denver led by as many as 16 in the first half. The Clippers went on an 18-7 run to get within five, but Denver outscored them 8-2 in the final two minutes to take a 65-54 lead at the half.

(With inputs from agencies.)