DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray warmed up for their appearances in the NBA's All-Star festivities by teaming up to help the Denver Nuggets hold off the Memphis Grizzlies 122-116 Wednesday night.
Jokic had the 184th triple-double of his career with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. Murray added 22 points and was 4 for 4 from the foul line in the final 11.7 seconds.
Tim Hardaway Jr. added 21 points for the Nuggets, who head into the break at 35-20 despite an injury-riddled season that has seen all five starters miss time and six of their top rotation players go out for significant stretches.
The Grizzlies, losers of 10 of 12, erased a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit, largely with Jokic on the bench, but never could take the late lead.
Jokic reached the triple-double when he assisted Hardaway on a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left in the third quarter for a 93-81 lead.
The Nuggets pulled away in the second quarter when they hit four consecutive 3-pointers to make it 44-33. But the Grizzlies scored the final seven points of the first half to pull to 60-54 at the break.
They used another 7-0 run to pull to 66-65 and force a timeout at 8:58 of the third quarter. A 3-pointer by GG Jackson II, whose 21 points led Memphis, tied it at 68 but the Grizzlies never could grab the lead.
Denver coach David Adelman said Spencer Jones, whose two-way contract hasn’t been converted yet, is still “at the end of the concussion protocol," and “the negotiation that’s going on there obviously is being slow-played because of the concussion.” Jones is expected to sign a pro-rated contract before the Nuggets return to action following the All-Star break, one that would also allow them to sign a 15th player for the stretch run.
Grizzlies: host the Utah Jazz on Friday, Feb. 20.
Nuggets: visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, Feb. 19.
___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
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