Nikola Jokic made an impressive triple double and led the Denver Nuggets past the New Orleans Pelicans in overtime (130-138).
The reigning NBA MVP went for 46 points (16/23 shooting, 3/5 from beyond the arc), 12 rebounds and 11 assists. He also added three steals and four blocks in 42 minutes of action.
Four more players scored in double figures for the winners, who improved to 38-26 in the standings.
On the contrary, Brandon Ingram made another stellar performance for the Pelicans this season. The young forward had 38 points (12/24 shooting, 3/7 from beyond the arc) and nine boards for New Orleans.
Jonas Valanciunas (19 points, 14 rebounds) and CJ McCollum (24 points, 9/19 shooting, nine assists) also stood out for the losing squad.
The Pelicans came back from a 16-point deficit early in the game (19-35). The visitors outscored Denver 75-49 between the second and third quarter to take the lead (94-84).
The Nuggets relied on their offense, though, to score 40 points in the fourth and force overtime (124-124). In the extra period, the hosts went on a 6-14 run to seal the deal.
Denver has now won two straight and seven of its last eight. This was the third win for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets vs the Pelicans. The hosts won the season series (3-1).
For their part, the Pelicans lost for the first time after the All-Star break and saw their four-game winning streak come to an end. New Orleans dropped to 27-37 on the table.
On Monday, Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets return to action to face the Golden State Warriors (43-21). On the contrary, the Pelicans will play the Memphis Grizzlies (44-22) on the road on Tuesday.
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