Jokic's triple-double leads Nuggets over Raptors, 133-118

Nikola Jokic h 23 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists for his 12th triple-double of season to le Denver Nuggets over short-handed Toronto Raptors, 133-118 on Sunday night.

Jokic has 43 triple-doubles in his short career, completing his latest by feeding Jerami Grant on a dunk that helped Nuggets pull away from Raptors, who lost ir third straight.

Grant finished with 16 points for Denver, which h eight players score in double figures.

Toronto played without Serge Ibaka and Fred VanVleet for a second straight game but got a career night from OG Anuby, who finished with 32 points on 12-of-16 shooting.

Denver hit its first nine 3-point attempts — five by Jamal Murray, who h 17 of his 22 points in first 12 minutes — before Monte Morris missed with 1:06 left in first quarter. Nuggets shot 63.6% in first quarter and 60% in first half.

y hit 50 percent from long range and finished game 56.6% from field.

Jokic h 10 points and 10 rebounds at halftime and and was alrey three assists shy of a triple-double.

Raptors withstood hot shooting to tie it at 60 in second quarter and trailed just 73-69 at intermission. It was a two-point Denver le late in third quarter but Nuggets opened up a 112-101 le with 8:10 left in fourth.

Toronto twice cut deficit to five points but Denver closed it out for win. Jokic got his ninth assist on a court-length pass to Gary Harris for a dunk midway through fourth.

TIP-INS

Raptors: C Marc Gasol (left hamstring tightness) missed his 13th straight game but was doing some work on court before game. "All of m are getting some work in, y're just t rey for game activity," coach Nick Nurse said of Gasol, Ibaka and VanVleet.

Nuggets: 73 points in first half tied ir season high set seven days earlier. 69 points allowed also tied a season high. ... F Paul Millsap (right ankle) missed his 17th game this season. Millsap rolled his ankle at Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. ... team is expected to buy out contract of guard Jordan McRae. Denver acquired McRae from Washington on Feb. 6 for Shabazz Napier.

UP NEXT

Raptors: Play at Phoenix on Tuesday night.

Nuggets: Host Golden State on Tuesday night.