Jokic Records 200th Triple-Double

Nikola Jokic recorded his 200th career regular-season triple-double on Wednesday night. The Denver Nuggets center finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. His team defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 104-91.

Denver controlled the game from the start. The Nuggets built a 37-18 lead in the first quarter after shooting 62 percent from the field. Jamal Murray opened the contest by making his first three shots, all from beyond the arc. The lead swelled to 22 points in the second half and never shrank below that margin for long.

New Orleans, which is winless under first-year coach Jamahl Mosley, fought back briefly in the fourth quarter. Zion Williamson scored 25 points and hit a three-pointer that cut the deficit to 88-83. Murray answered with a three and a driving layup to restore the gap to 10 points.

The Nuggets swept this two-game home-and-home series. They had overcome a 23-point deficit to win in Denver on Saturday. This time, they used a nine-man rotation due to injuries. Cam Johnson and Alpha Diallo sat out, while Julian Strawther and Spencer Jones remain sidelined.

Jokic now needs 10 more triple-doubles to pass Russell Westbrook as the all-time leader. Westbrook retired after the previous season. For New Orleans, Derik Queen had 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Jeremiah Fears scored 11. The Pelicans shot 23.3 percent from three-point range, converting only seven of 30 attempts.

Denver plays next against Phoenix in an NBA Cup group stage opener on Friday. New Orleans hosts Sacramento on Thursday night.