DENVER — The Denver Nuggets defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 136-119 in NBA action, powered by another triple-double from Nikola Jokic, who finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. The victory extends Denver's winning streak to 10 consecutive games and solidifies their position as the third seed in the Western Conference.
The game started with Memphis shooting hot from beyond the arc. The Memphis Grizzlies punished Denver's defense with a barrage of three-pointers during the first half. The visiting team made 13 of their 27 three-point attempts before halftime and took a 72-68 lead, capitalizing on their outside shooting and the offensive push from Cedric Coward, who finished the game with 27 points.
While Memphis found advantages from outside, the Denver Nuggets stayed in the game thanks to their ball movement and the leadership of Nikola Jokic, who continued accumulating statistics across all facets of the game. The pivotal moment came in the third quarter. An assist from the Serbian center to Cameron Johnson for a layup midway through the period marked the 198th triple-double of his career and his 34th of the season, further cementing his impact in the NBA.
From that point on, the game changed completely. With Memphis still ahead by eight points in the third quarter, the Denver Nuggets responded with a devastating 31-13 run over the final 7:51 of the period, which definitively broke the game open. Jamal Murray led the home team's attack with 26 points, while Jonas Valanciunas, who played in his 1,000th NBA game, contributed 14 points to bolster Denver's interior rotation.
The Memphis Grizzlies attempted a comeback at the start of the fourth quarter and managed to cut the deficit to nine points, but the Nuggets' response was immediate. Denver accelerated the offensive pace again and built a 21-point lead, enough to control the final minutes without Nikola Jokic even having to play the fourth quarter.
The victory reinforces the Denver Nuggets' strong momentum, as they have now won 10 consecutive games in the NBA, their first double-digit winning streak since the 2012-13 season. With this result, Denver (52-28) solidifies third place in the Western Conference, with a game-and-a-half lead over the Los Angeles Lakers, as they head into the regular season's final stretch against two of the West's best teams.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies (25-55) continue to struggle. The team has accumulated six consecutive losses and 18 defeats in their last 20 games, with a season's end marked by inconsistency despite moments of excellent outside shooting.