NIKOLA Jokic scored 24 of his game-high 41 points in the second half as the host Denver Nuggets took sole possession of first place in the Western Conference with a 116-107 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
Jokic added 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals for the Nuggets, who can secure the West’s No. 1 seed for the second straight season by winning road games against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday and the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
Denver’s Jamal Murray put up 20 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 18. The win was the 423rd for Nuggets coach Michael Malone, tying him with George Karl for second in franchise history.
Anthony Edwards had 25 points, Mike Conley scored 19, Rudy Gobert had 13 points and 15 rebounds and Naz Reid also contributed 13 for Minnesota. The Timberwolves fell into a tie for second place in the West with the Thunder, who beat the Spurs earlier on Wednesday. Minnesota and Oklahoma City are one game behind Denver.
In other games, it was the Mavs 111, Heat 92; Suns 124, Clippers 108; Bucks 117, Magic 99; Hornets 115, Hawks 114; Cavs 110, Grizzlies 98; Thunder 127, Spurs 89; and Nets 106, Raptors 102.
Mavs 111, Heat 92
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 54 points as Dallas won for the 16th time in its last 18 games, defeating host Miami.
The loss was costly for Miami (44-36), which no longer has a shot at clinching a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference. The Heat, who played without Terry Rozier (neck) and Duncan Robinson (facet), were led by Tyler Herro with 21 points, seven boards and six assists.
Doncic, who overcame three first-quarter fouls, had 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Irving finished with 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the field, going 5-for-8 from deep. Dallas center Daniel Gafford went 6-for-6 from the floor, finishing with 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
Suns 124, Clippers 108
Devin Booker scored 16 of his 37 points in the first quarter, Bradley Beal added 26 points and visiting Phoenix ended a two-game skid by defeating short-handed Los Angeles.
Kevin Durant scored 24 points and added nine rebounds as the Suns avenged a home loss to the Clippers on Tuesday when they trailed by as many as 31 points in the first quarter. Phoenix moved to within a half-game of the New Orleans Pelicans for sixth in the Western Conference.
Bones Hyland scored a career-high 37 points and added nine assists, and Brandon Boston Jr. had 23 points for the Clippers. Los Angeles was without Kawhi Leonard (knee) for the sixth consecutive game, and Paul George (knee), James Harden (foot) and Russell Westbrook (hand) were given the day off.
