Nikola Jokic had 32 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists for his sixth triple-double in nine games this season, and the short-handed Denver Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 117-100<\/p>\n
DENVER — Nikola Jokic had 32 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists for his sixth triple-double in nine games this season, and the short-handed Denver Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 117-100 on Saturday night to sweep a four-game homestand.<\/p>\n
Denver played without regulars Jamal Murray (left calf tightness) and Aaron Gordon (left hamstring) on the second game of a back-to-back. Jalen Pickett and Peyton Watson, who had a season-high 16 points, started instead.<\/p>\n
Gordon, who missed 31 games last year with injuries, is averaging a career-best 20.1 points.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he feels something that can turn into something worse, there is a little bit of apprehension,\u201d Denver coach David Adelman said before the game. \u201cAaron\u2019s a guy we have to protect … because there\u2019s just not that many human beings that are that big and jump that high and explode like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indiana, which has been without multiple players at the start of the season, lost for the eighth time in nine games. The Pacers got Andrew Nembhard back from a left shoulder strain that cost him the last seven games.<\/p>\n
Aaron Nesmith scored 25 points for Indiana and Nembhard added 22. Monte Morris, signed Friday, had one point in 15 minutes.<\/p>\n
Jokic, who had a season-high eight turnovers, secured the triple-double on a pass to Cam Johnson with 7:49 left in the third quarter.<\/p>\n
The Pacers rallied within 64-61 early in the third, aided by Gordon\u2019s technical foul while sitting on the bench in street clothes.<\/p>\n
The Nuggets led by 13 after three quarters and went up 109-88 on Jokic\u2019s deep 3-pointer midway through the fourth.<\/p>\n
Pacers: At Golden State on Sunday night.<\/p>\n
Nuggets: At Sacramento on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n