Nikola Jokic shines as Denver Nuggets hand Toronto Raptors first defeat in nine games

Highlights of the Denver Nuggets' clash with the Toronto Raptors in Week 8 of the NBA

Nikola Jokic contributed a triple-double as the Denver Nuggets ended the Toronto Raptors' eight-game winning streak on Monday.

Jokic piled up 23 points, three of them coming on key free throws in the closing minutes, and added 15 assists and 11 rebounds in a 106-103 road victory at Scotiabank Arena.

Game leaders

Denver Nuggets

  • Points: Nikola Jokic - 23
  • Assists: Nikola Jokic - 15
  • Rebounds: Nikola Jokic - 11

 

Toronto Raptors

  • Points: Kawhi Leonard - 27
  • Assists: Jonas Valanciunas - 10
  • Rebounds: Kyle Lowry - 11

He made a free throw with seven seconds remaining to break a 103-103 tie and made two more with 5.6 seconds left for the final margin, extending Denver's winning streak to six games.

Jamal Murray added 21 points for the Nuggets, and Juan Hernangomez and Malik Beasley had 15 each.

Kawhi Leonard led Toronto with 27 points and had eight rebounds, while Serge Ibaka added 15 points, but their rally from a deficit of as many as 12 points fell short.

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"The guys were making shots, I was passing the ball, we were playing good," Jokic said.

"We had really good energy on the bench... everyone who played did something good in the game. It's a little bit of everything."

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Image: Nikola Jokic leaps over Kawhi Leonard in a matchup of two of the NBA's biggest stars

Head coach Michael Malone added: "To gut this win out tonight, undermanned... to have enough poise down the stretch speaks volumes to a young team that is growing up and really maturing in big moments, and it's great to see.

"I am so proud of our guys for that. That's a helluva win for us. That's a great team over there.

"But we are not satisfied. We have three more games on this trip. It's a business trip, and we'll continue to try to get more wins and see what we can do moving forward."

Monday results

  • Oklahoma City Thunder 110-83 Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors 128-111 Atlanta Hawks
  • Cleveland Cavaliers 99-97 Brooklyn Nets
  • Washington Wizards 110-107 New York Knicks
  • Denver Nuggets 106-103 Toronto Raptors
  • Los Angeles Clippers 129-126 New Orleans Pelicans
  • Houston Rockets 91-103 Minnesota Timberwolves

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