11/19/25 09:45:00
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11/19 21:43 CST Jokic's triple-double and Watson's career-high 32 points push
the Nuggets past the Pelicans, 125-118
Jokic's triple-double and Watson's career-high 32 points push the Nuggets past
the Pelicans, 125-118
By BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer
NEW ORLEANS (AP) --- Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds,
and the Denver Nuggets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 125-118 on Wednesday
night.
Peyton Watson scored a career-high 32 points as Denver won for the eighth time
in nine games. Jamal Murray had 14 points, including a pair of free throws with
31 seconds left.
Zion Williamson scored 14 points for New Orleans in 29 minutes in his return
from a left hamstring injury that had sidelined him for eight games.
Rookie Derik Queen, who started opposite Jokic at center, scored a season-high
30 points to go with nine rebounds, and Trey Murphy III added 23 points for the
Pelicans, who lost their seventh straight and fell to 0-3 under interim coach
James Borrego.
After trailing by as many as 19, New Orleans reduced its deficit to single
digits in the final minutes, but former Pelican Jonas Valanciunas, who scored
14 points, hit a pair of clutch jumpers for the Nuggets.
Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears scored 16, giving the guard 11 or more points in
all but one of New Orleans' 15 games this season.
Watson scored 11 of his points in the first six minutes of the second half,
when the Nuggets widened their lead from 62-58 at halftime to 81-70.
That's when Jokic started to take over, hitting a putback layup, a 7-foot
pull-up jumper and a 3 that made it 93-76.
With Williamson back in the starting lineup, the Pelicans raced to a 13-point
lead when Herb Jones' 3 made it 23-10 in the first quarter. But Denver steadily
erased its deficit and took the lead for good when Watson's 3 made it 51-49
with 3:02 left in the second quarter.
Up next
Nuggets: Visit the Houston Rockets on Friday night in NBA Cup West Group C play.
Pelicans: Visit the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night in NBA Cup West Group B
play.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
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