Nikola Jokic amassed 28 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, Russell Westbrook scored 21 points, and the host Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Toronto Raptors 121-119 on Monday night.
Michael Porter Jr. added 19 points for Denver, which played without guard Jamal Murray and lost Aaron Gordon to a right calf strain in the first quarter.
Grady Dick scored 26 points and Jakob Poeltl had 24 points before fouling out for Toronto. RJ Barrett added 16 points and nine assists but missed a 3-pointer at the horn that would have won it.
Denver got 17 points from Christian Braun, 16 from Peyton Watson and 13 from Julian Strawther to win another close one against the Raptors. The Nuggets defeated Toronto 127-125 in overtime on Oct. 28 in Toronto.
The Raptors led by five at halftime and opened the third quarter on a 10-1 run to go up 74-60 and force a Nuggets timeout.
Denver rallied to get within 87-85 late in the period, but the Raptors scored the next six points and took a 93-88 lead into the fourth.
Zeke Nnaji’s dunk cut it to 93-90, but a 3-pointer by Barrett, two layups by Poeltl, a three-point play from Jamal Shead and Dick’s driving layup gave Toronto a 109-98 lead with 5:45 left
The Nuggets chipped away. Jokic hit a layup, Porter fed Watson for a three-point play, and Jokic got the assist on a layup by Porter.
Jokic and Strawther hit two free throws each, Braun made a 3-pointer, Jokic scored on a hook shot and Watson’s corner 3-pointer gave Denver a 118-117 lead.
Ochai Agbaji scored off an assist from Barrett, but Strawther made a driving layup and the Raptors couldn’t convert on the other end.
Strawther split a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left, and after a take foul, Barrett’s 26-footer with Westbrook draped over him was short.
Agbaji scored 16 points and Davion Mitchell 13 for Toronto.
The Nuggets started fast but Toronto rallied to take a 37-34 lead after the first quarter. The Raptors led 57-49 after Dick hit a 3-pointer and a layup with 4:39 left in the second. Denver got within two but trailed 64-59 at halftime.
