By ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists, and the Denver Nuggets rallied from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Portland Trail Blazers, 137-132, in overtime on Monday night, April 6.
Denver (51-28) moved into third place in the Western Conference with its season-high ninth straight win. Jokic recorded his 33rd triple-double and Jamal Murray scored seven of his 20 points in overtime to move the Nuggets a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers (50-28).
Portland (40-39) had its three-game winning streak snapped and dropped into ninth in the West, a half-game behind the Los Angeles Clippers.
Denver overcame 30 points from Toumani Camara, who hit eight of the Blazers’ franchise-record 25 3-pointers. Deni Avdija added 26 points and was 13 of 14 from the line to help Portland build a 115-99 lead with 8:13 left in the fourth.
The Nuggets, like they did in an overtime win against San Antonio on Saturday, rallied behind Jokic’s big night. He scored 10 points in the fourth and sparked a 21-5 run to close within one. Avdija hit two free throws to make it 123-120 but Aaron Gordon’s corner 3-pointer tied it with 1:12 left in regulation.
Avdija missed a 3-pointer, Gordon, who finished with 23 points, hit a baseline 20-footer to give the Nuggets a 125-123 lead and Avdija’s layup tied it with 20 seconds left. Jokic missed at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
Gordon and Murray each hit a 3-pointer to open the extra period to give Denver a six-point lead. Murray’s two free throws and a dunk made it 135-128, and he fed Jokic for a layup to seal it.
Portland led by 14 at halftime and stretched it to 96-78 late in the third.
Meanwhile, Stephon Castle had 17 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs held on to beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 115-102, after Victor Wembanyama left in the first half due to a left rib contusion.
Wembanyama’s status for the final week of the regular season is unknown.
San Antonio (60-19) is is 2 1/2 games behind Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City (62-16) and assured of finishing no worse than second in the conference.
Philadelphia lost its second straight as it battles to stay out of the play-in tournament. The 76ers (43-36) are a half-game behind the Toronto Raptors (43-35) for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia center Joel Embiid had 34 points and 12 rebounds, and Paul George added 16 points.
Wembanyama did not play in the second half after taking an elbow from George near midcourt. Wembanyama was sprinting up-court when George attempted to deflect a pass, but instead struck the 22-year-old in the side at the 1:11 mark of the second quarter. Wembanyama remained on the court for about a minute before being subbed.
Wembanyama returned to play five more minutes before asking San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson to take him out of the game with 44 seconds left in the first half. He did not return.
San Antonio opened a four-game homestand to close its regular season before hosting the first two games of the opening round of the playoffs.
Wembanyama had 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks in 15:40. It constitutes an official game per the NBA guidelines, which allow two exceptions of 15 to 19:59 minutes to count toward the league-required minimum of 65 games played for award eligibility. Wembanyama has said he wants to win the league’s MVP award this season.
Wembanyama had played 63 games this season, including the NBA Cup Final. Luke Kornet, who started the second half in place of Wembanyama, had 10 points and three rebounds. It was Castle’s fifth triple-double.
