Nikola Jokic became the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, Jamal Murray hit several clutch shots in his return and the Denver Nuggets beat the Memphis Grizzlies 117-109 on Friday night.
After a slow start offensively, Jokic had his 33rd triple-double with 26 points, 16 rebounds and a dozen assists. He wrapped up a triple-double average with his fourth assist of the night. The other players to average a triple-double for a full season: Russell Westbrook, Jokic’s current Denver teammate, and Basketball Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson.
Aaron Gordon led Denver with 33 points, and Murray chipped in 15 points in his return from a sprained right ankle that sidelined him six games.
Desmond Bane led Memphis with 24 points. Ja Morant added 21 for the Grizzlies, who led by as many as 15 in the first half but watched the Nuggets chip away until closing the game on a 14-1 run over the final six minutes.
The Nuggets improved to 49-32, strengthening their bid for home-court advantage in the Western Conference playoffs, and the Grizzlies fell to 47-34.
Doncic helps Lakers clinch No. 3 seed
Luka Doncic had 39 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and the Los Angeles Lakers clinched the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 140-109 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Austin Reaves scored 23 points for the Lakers, who also clinched the Pacific Division title for only the second time in the last 13 seasons and won 50 games for just the second time in 14 years.
LeBron James scored 14 points before sitting out the final 19 minutes of Los Angeles’ sixth win in eight games. Doncic played only the first three quarters.
Alperen Sengun, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and Jae’Sean Tate all sat out for the Rockets, leaving Houston without six of their top seven scorers.
Cam Whitmore scored a career-high 34 points for Houston, which clinched the No. 2 seed in the West on Tuesday when the Lakers lost at Oklahoma City. Four starters then sat out Wednesday while the Rockets lost to the Clippers.
Streaking Bucks finish 5th in East
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to their seventh straight win, 125-119 over the Detroit Pistons, securing the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Antetokounmpo has four triple-doubles in his last five games and a career-high 11 this season, surpassing his total from last year by one.
Milwaukee will face the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers in the first round, a year after losing to them in the opening round.
Cade Cunningham scored 36 points on 15-of-21 shooting for the Pistons, who will be seeded sixth in their first postseason appearance since 2019. They will face the New York Knicks in the first round.
Detroit’s Malik Beasley connected on a 3-pointer to make it 122-119 with 17 seconds left, but the Bucks sealed the win with free throws.
Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis Jr. had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Kevin Porter Jr. scored 16, Brook Lopez had 15 points and seven rebounds and Kyle Kuzma added 10 points.
Beasley scored 21 points, Jalen Duren had 11 points and 16 rebounds, Tobias Harris scored 17, Dennis Schroder had 12 points and Ausar Thompson chipped in with 11 points.
Friday’s scores
Indiana Pacers 115, Orlando Magic 129
Detroit Pistons 119, Milwaukee Bucks 125
Philadelphia 76ers 110, Atlanta Hawks 124
New York Knicks 102, Cleveland Cavaliers 108
Boston Celtics 130, Charlotte Hornets 94
Chicago Bulls 119, Washington Wizards 89
New Orleans Pelicans 104, Miami Heat 153
Dallas Mavericks 124, Toronto Raptors 102
Denver Nuggets 117, Memphis Grizzlies 109
Minnesota Timberwolves 117, Brooklyn Nets 91
Utah Jazz 111, Oklahoma City Thunder 145
Sacramento Kings 100, Los Angeles Clippers 101
Portland Trail Blazers 86, Golden State Warriors 103
Phoenix Suns 117, San Antonio Spurs 98
Los Angeles Lakers 140, Houston Rockets 109