Nikola Jokic scored 30 points as the Denver Nuggets bounced back from a blowout home loss to New York and a tongue lashing by their coach to earn a 122-103 road win over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night.
Jokic scored 21 points in the opening half, helping the Nuggets turn a 12-point deficit into a 10-point halftime lead. He hit 13 of 19 field goals overall and finished with 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Jamal Murray added 22 points and eight assists, Michael Porter Jr. contributed 19 points and seven rebounds, and Christian Braun had 18 points with seven boards in the win.
Denver shot 54.8 percent — while limiting Utah to 42.2 percent shooting — and outscored the Jazz 64-38 in the paint. The result came two nights after their coach, Mike Malone, called out their lack of effort and leadership following a 145-118 loss to the Knicks in Denver.
Collin Sexton netted 26 points and Keyonte George scored 23 to lead the Jazz, who couldn’t hold onto their early double-digit lead.
Utah played without key players Lauri Markkanen (personal reasons), John Collins (knee) and Jordan Clarkson (foot) while losing for the sixth time in seven games.
Walker Kessler had a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Micah Potter grabbed a game-high 16 boards with nine points for the Jazz.
Utah was playing for the second night in a row at home, having lost to the Spurs 128-115 on Tuesday night.
Utah got off to a good start, scoring the first five points and then taking a 19-8 lead after consecutive 3-pointers by George.
Jokic powered a Denver surge to help trim Utah’s once-12-point lead down to one by the end of the first quarter.
The Nuggets seized a 63-53 halftime lead by outscoring the Jazz 29-18 in the second quarter, including a 6-0 run heading into the break. Jokic scored 21 in the opening half.
Denver turned that into a 13-0 run after opening the third quarter with a Murray layup, a Jokic bucket and a Porter 3.
Utah briefly got back within 12 points before Denver blew it open by going up by as many as 26 in the third quarter. The Nuggets outscored the Jazz 66-41 in the pivotal second and third quarters.
