NBA ROUND-UP: Nikola Jokic records a triple-double in the Denver Nuggets’ win over Celtics

Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists, and the stalwart Denver Nuggets beat the Boston Celtics 123-111 on Sunday in a game of NBA conference leaders that was delayed about 35 minutes because of a powerful dunk. bent one of the tires

Jokic made 10 of 13 shots from the field and all eight free throws in his second straight triple-double and ninth of the season. Bruce Brown added 21 points for the Nuggets, who shot 57 percent from the floor and made 17 of 30 3-pointers.

Denver won for the 10th time in 12 games, snapping a six-game skid against Boston and opening up a one-game lead in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets led by as much as 18 and waited for a long delay with 6:43 to play as a team struggled to get the rim back level after a dunk by Boston’s Robert Williams III. It took six workers, two ladders, a level, phone calls, and finally a crew member who removed the dash trim before repairing it.

The players were allowed a brief warm-up before play resumed, and the Nuggets walked away.

Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Jayson Tatum rallied from a slow start to add 25 for Boston, which shot just 9-of-33 from 3-point range in the opener of a four-game road trip. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Celtics, whose lead in the East was cut to 1 1/2 games.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone called the matchup a “huge challenge” and that was before Denver announced that Jamal Murray was out again. The point guard has missed two of the last three games due to problems with his surgically repaired left knee.

Bruce Brown started in his place and went 4 for 6 in 3s. It was a familiar theme for the Nuggets, who entered as the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA. They are 34 of 58 from long distance in the last two games.

The game was billed as a matchup of top NBA MVP contenders Jokic and Tatum. And the crowd took notice.

A large number of Celtics fans began chanting “MVP! MVP!” when Tatum went to the foul line late in the second quarter. Nuggets fans loudly returned the favor moments later with their own MVP chant to Jokic as he went to the line.

In the end, Jokic showed that it will be difficult to snatch the trophy from him.

GRIZZLIES 118, KINGS 108

Ja Morant scored 35 points, Tyus Jones added 18 and the Memphis Grizzlies opened a close game in the fourth quarter to beat the Sacramento Kings 118-108 on Sunday.

Dillon Brooks added 15 for Memphis, while Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 14 and three blocks as the Grizzlies earned their third straight win. Morant added eight rebounds and five assists. Jones had eight assists and Steven Adams tied his career high with 23 rebounds.

De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 19 points, while Malik Monk scored 18 providing a spark off the Sacramento bench. Domantas Sabonis matched Monk’s 18 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.

In a closely contested first half, the Kings starters suffered from a lack of shooting. Only Sabonis had a good percentage with 14 points shooting 6 of 10. But Monk provided energy from the bench with 12 points.

Morant led the Grizzlies with 18 points en route to a 59-58 halftime lead.

WIZARDS 118, DOLLARS 95

Rui Hachimura had 26 points, Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 and Kyle Kuzma hit a triple-double as the Washington Wizards beat the weak Milwaukee Bucks 118-95 on Sunday for their fifth straight victory, a best of the season.

The Bucks played without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat out with a sore left knee. Antetokounmpo is averaging 38 points and 14.6 rebounds in his last six games, which included a 43-point, 20-rebound performance in Friday night’s win over Minnesota that snapped Milwaukee’s four-game losing streak.

Jrue Holiday also missed the game with illness, and Khris Middleton sat out for the eighth straight game with a sore right knee.

Bobby Portis led Milwaukee with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jevon Carter had 14 points and Grayson Allen added 13 points and eight assists.