On February 16, Beijing time, the Nuggets defeated the Lone Rangers 118-109 at home, winning three consecutive victories while also giving their opponents three consecutive losses. Irving missed the game due to a tight back, and Doncic scored 37 points. Jokic finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to record his 21st triple-double of the season and continue to lead the league. Jeff Green came off the bench to score 24 points, a new season high. The Nuggets led by as many as 21 points, and the Lone Rangers closed the gap in the final quarter and still lost. The two sides have met four times this season, winning two each. The Nuggets remain in first place in the West with a 41-18 record.
Statistics
Lone Ranger: Doncic 37 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals, Wood 17 points, Powell 8 points and 10 rebounds, AJ Lawson 10 points, Hardy 8 points, Wright 11 points;
Nuggets: Jokic 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, Jeff Green 24 points, Porter 22 points and 5 rebounds, Pope 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, Kankar 12 points, Smith 8 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, Bryant 8 points and 5 rebounds.
The star of the field
Jokic scored an easy triple-double, and the 36-year-old Jeff Green came off the bench to score 24 points, a new season high.
Race tidbits
Irving was suspended for this game due to a tight back, and he watched the game from the sidelines.
Highlight moments
Porter hit a three-point shot!
Doncic threw the ball, Powell dunked empty!
Doncic flew to dunk!
Bryant catches the buckle with one hand!
McKee Volleyball Big Cap Jokic!
Brown fast-attack dunk!
Jokic dreamy footsteps tease McGee, pick the basket and hit the whistle!
Jeff Green Dunk!
Match Review
In the first quarter, Kankar hit a free shot, Doncic hit a free throw, Porter and Bullock exchanged three-pointers, and Powell answered a dunk. Doncic hit a 2+1 and scored five straight points, McGee dunked, Porter hit another 3-pointer, and the Nuggets led by seven points. Doncic continued to erupt, playing 2+1 again and completing a breakaway dunk. In the first quarter, the Nuggets led the Mavericks 26-25, Doncic scored 17 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists in a single quarter, and Porter scored 10 points.
In the second quarter, Smith scored four straight points, Jeff Green hit a three-pointer, and the Nuggets went 13-2 to stretch the gap to 12 points. Bryant took an empty dunk, Doncic hit a free throw, and Jokic scored four straight points. Josh Green and Porter exchanged 3-pointers, Brown fast-break dunk, Doncic hit a layup. Jokic pressed the whistle to score a layup. At halftime, the Nuggets led the Mavericks 61-44. In the first half, Doncic had 23 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, Porter 15 points and Jokic 11 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.
Yibian fought again, Josh Green hit a 3-pointer and Powell scored on a layup. Pope hit two three-pointers in a row, Doncic scored five straight points, and the Lone Ranger trailed by 14 points. Porter and Lawson scored three points each, and Jeff Green scored four straight points. Doncic hit a 30-point shot, Jeff Green hit a 3-pointer, and the Nuggets stretched the gap to 20 points. Doncic and Lawson hit three consecutive three-pointers, and Bryant responded with a dunk. After the third quarter, the Nuggets led the Lone Rangers 92-74.
In the final quarter, Bryant hit 2+1, Wood dunked, Hardy and Wright hit three consecutive points, Wood hit 2+1 and hit three points, and the Lone Ranger played a wave of 12-1 to narrow the gap to 10 points. Jokic hit a 2+1 as soon as he returned to the court, and Wood hit a three-pointer. Jeff Green dunked, Porter hit a three-pointer, Jeff Green made another dunk, and the Nuggets still led by 17 points. Doncic hit a three-pointer, Brown hit a free throw. The game lost suspense, and in the end, the Nuggets defeated the Lone Ranger at home.
Both sides start
Lone Ranger: Doncic, Nilikina, Bullock, Josh Green, Powell
Nuggets: Bruce Brown, Pope, Porter, Kankar, Jokic