Jokic scores 32 points to lead the Nuggets past the Knicks
Nikola Jokic scored 32 points and had 11 rebounds in just 27 minutes, leading the Denver Nuggets over the New York Knicks 113-99 on Saturday.
Denver never trailed in winning for only the third time in 10 games.
“Winning is the best med- icine,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.
Zeke Nnaji added 21 points off the bench for the Nuggets, Will Barton con- tributed 13 and Jeff Green 11.
The Knicks have lost three straight overall and fell to 5-8 at Madison Square Garden this season.
“We (got to) look our- selves in the mirror and de- cide what we want the sea- son to be,” Julius Randle said after leading the Knicks with 24 points on 9-for-18 shooting. “We have to commit to it.”
Evan Fournier chipped in 15, R.J. Barrett added 13 and Alec Burks and Derrick Rose each had 11 for New York. BULLS 111, NETS 107 >>Zach LaVine scored 31 points, DeMar DeRozan had 29 and Chicago Bulls beat Brooklyn. Nikola Vucevic and Ayo Dosunmu each added 11 points for the Bulls.
Kevin Durant led Brooklyn with 28 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 20. James Harden added 14 points and 14 assists, but shot 5 for 21 from the field.
The Bulls trailed by as many as 11 in the third quarter, but opened the fourth on a 13-4 run and took their biggest lead at 92-86 on DeRozan’s short jumper with 7 minutes remaining. BALL AMONG FOUR HORNETS PUT IN COVID-19 PROTOCOLS >> Four Charlotte Hornets players, including last year’s Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball, have been placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Saturday, an indicator they have tested positive of the coronavirus.
Along with Ball, guard Terry Rozier, center Mason Plumlee and forward Jalen
McDaniels will be sidelined for at least 10 days, or until they have recorded two negative tests in a 24-hour period according to league rules.
Barring more positive tests, the Hornets would meet the NBA’s minimum required eight players to play their next scheduled game on Sunday night at Atlanta. The team is scheduled to depart for Atlanta on Saturday.
The Hornets (13-11) are currently seventh in the NBA Eastern Conference standings. Charlotte’s last game came Wednesday night at Milwaukee.
The Hornets’ news comes as the league and the National Basketball Players Association has been pushing for players, coaches and staff to get booster shots.
The league has said about 97% of players are vaccinated. It is unclear how many players have received booster shots. The NBA told teams on Friday that those who have not received booster shots by Dec. 17 will be subject to stricter rules; for players, that will mean gameday testing and for staffers, it would mean they cannot continue interacting with players or have the level of access that would allow them to be around the court and travel with the team.
MAVS’ DONCIC SITS OUT GAME >> Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic missed Saturday’s game against Memphis, the second night of a back-to-back, with what the team says is left ankle soreness. Coach Jason Kidd said the soreness was a residual effect from the left ankle sprain that sidelined Doncic for three games last month. The 22-year-old also dealt with a sprained left knee then. The Mavericks lost all three games without their two-time All-Star.