Pair of triple-doubles lead Nuggets past Jazz

Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook recorded triple-doubles, Jamal Murray had 20 points and 10 assists, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Utah Jazz 132-121 in Salt Lake City on Monday night.

Jokic finished with 36 points, 22 rebounds and 11 assists for his league-leading 13th triple-double of the season and 143rd of his career — third all-time behind Oscar Robertson (181) and Westbrook (201).

Jokic’s 22 rebounds are a season high and the third time he has 20 or more in a game this season.

Westbrook finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Michael Porter Jr. scored 21 points, Christian Braun added 20 points and Peyton Watson contributed 13 points off the bench.

Jordan Clarkson led a balanced Utah attack with 24 points off the bench, while Collin Sexton had 22 points, Lauri Markkanen scored 17 points, Johnny Juzang had 14, and Walker Kessler finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Denver used a 9-2 run early in the third quarter to take a 73-71 lead on Braun’s dunk on a lob from Murray. The Nuggets stretched it to six multiple times, including on a 20-foot jumper by Murray and again when Jokic, who scored 17 points in the third, made two free throws to make it 90-84 with 3:09 left in the period.

Collier’s three-point play got the Jazz within 92-89 but Jokic tipped in a miss and sank a 17-footer to give Denver a 98-89 lead heading into the fourth.

Porter scored the Nuggets’ first seven points in the final quarter as Denver opened a 10-point lead, but Utah hit two from deep to get within 105-102 with 8:59 to go.

Kyle Filipowski’s three-point play cut Denver’s lead to 109-107 with 7:28 to play but Jokic hit a 25-foot 3-pointer, Westbrook fed Porter for a layup and then Watson for a dunk, and Watson scored again during a 11-2 run that gave the Nuggets an 11-point lead with 5:22 left.

The Jazz didn’t get closer than seven points down the stretch.

The Nuggets led 44-39 early in the second quarter but Utah used a 15-3 run to go ahead 54-47. Denver tied it late in the period but the Jazz took a 66-64 lead into halftime.

Norman Powell puts up 35 as Clippers edge Pelicans

Norman Powell scored 35 points, James Harden added 27, including four decisive free throws in the final minute, and the visiting Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 116-113 on Monday night.

Ivica Zubac had 20 points and 16 rebounds and Derrick Jones Jr. scored 11 for the Clippers, who have won three in a row and five of their past six games.

CJ McCollum scored 33, Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones had 18 each and Yves Missi scored 12 for the Pelicans, who made a season-high 18 3-pointers but still lost their 10th straight and fell for the 19th time in 20 games. Dejounte Murray amassed 13 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and six steals.

Harden broke a tie by making two free throws with 17.9 seconds left. Missi was fouled with 4.3 seconds to go and made the first free throw but missed the second. Harden sank two more at the line with 1.8 seconds left.

McCollum started the third-quarter scoring with back-to-back 3-pointers to give New Orleans a 68-56 lead. The Pelicans led by 12 four more times before Nicolas Batum, Kevin Porter Jr. and Harden each made a 3-pointer to help Los Angeles get within one.

Harden got the Clippers even by making two foul shots with 31.9 seconds to go in the third quarter, but McCollum’s trey gave New Orleans a 90-87 lead entering the fourth.

Los Angeles got within one point twice early in the fourth quarter before McCollum’s 3-pointer gave the Pelicans a 102-98 lead. However, Powell’s 3-pointer and layup pushed the Clippers in front 112-108 with 3:01 remaining.

Jones sank two free throws and McCollum made a layup to tie the score with 2:16 left.

In the first quarter, the Clippers briefly took a two-point lead before Javonte Green, McCollum, Murphy and Jordan Hawkins each made a 3-pointer to help New Orleans take a 37-31 lead at the end of the period.

Powell scored eight of Los Angeles’ first 12 points of the second quarter as the Clippers took a 43-41 lead. The score was tied twice before Murphy made two 3-pointers and McCollum and Jones made one each during a 14-0 run that gave the Pelicans a 59-45 lead.

Powell and Kris Dunn each scored five points during an 11-3 run that pulled the Clippers within 62-56 at halftime.

Josh Hart notches triple-double, leads Knicks over Wizards

Josh Hart posted a triple-double Monday night for the visiting New York Knicks, who extended their winning streak to eight games by pulling away from the Washington Wizards for a 126-106 victory.

Hart finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in his third triple-double of the season and the ninth of his career — the fourth-most in team history.

Karl-Anthony Towns (32 points, 13 rebounds) had a double-double, while OG Anunoby finished with 18 points and eight rebounds for the Knicks, whose winning streak is their longest since a nine-game run from Jan. 17-Feb. 1 this year.

Jalen Brunson also had 18 points while Mikal Bridges added 13.

Jonas Valanciunas scored 22 points off the bench for the Wizards, who have lost 23 of 26 since splitting their first four games. Starters Malcolm Brogdon and Alexandre Sarr had 18 points apiece while reserve Corey Kispert finished with 16 points.

Neither team led by more than seven points in the first half. Hart keyed a 17-3 run in the second, scoring 14 points as the Knicks took their first seven-point lead, 50-43, with 5:18 left.

Brogdon scored the final five points of the half for the Wizards, who pulled within two points (59-57) before scoring six of the first 10 points of the second half to tie the game at 63-63 on Carlton Carrington’s 3-pointer with 9:33 left.

Anunoby drained a 3-pointer on the next possession to put the Knicks ahead for good and begin a 16-7 run.

The Wizards answered with a 13-5 stretch, twice pulling within one point — the last at 84-83 on a 3-pointer by Kispert with 2:51 left.

But New York responded by taking control with its own 13-5 run to take a 97-88 lead at the end of the third.

The Knicks maintained a double-digit lead for the final eight minutes and opened up a 21-point lead at 120-99 on Towns’ dunk with 4:21 left.

Bulls win in OT, hand Hornets eighth straight loss

Coby White scored 23 points and had the first basket of Chicago’s 8-0 burst to begin overtime to help the Bulls defeat the host Charlotte Hornets 115-108 on Monday night.

White, playing in a return to his home state, also had 10 rebounds and nine assists on a night when the Bulls shot 37.5 percent from the field. They launched more than half of their shots from beyond the 3-point arc, making 18 of 60 attempts from deep.

Reserve Torrey Craig had 18 points for the Bulls. Patrick Williams had 17 points, Nikola Vucevic posted 16 points and 13 rebounds, Josh Giddey had 13 points and 12 rebounds and Jalen Smith posted 11 points to help Chicago to its second win in a row following a three-game skid.

The Hornets trailed the entire fourth quarter until Miles Bridges hit a game-tying 3 with 1.5 seconds left.

Charlotte played again without team scoring leaders LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Bridges led the way with 31 points despite going 1-for-10 on 3-pointers before draining the shot that forced the extra session.

Mark Williams provided 20 points and 12 rebounds and Seth Curry had 17 points, but that didn’t prevent the Hornets’ losing streak from reaching eight games. Josh Green added 14 points.

The Bulls scored 17 points in overtime, topping their 15-point first-quarter output.

White’s offense came despite going 1-for-11 on threes. Patrick Williams and Craig made up for it by bagging five 3-pointers apiece.