The Serbian pivot Nikola Jokic scored 24 of his 32 points in a first quarter dominant in the 113-97 Denver Nuggets win over New York Knicks.
Jokic also finished with 12 rebounds to help lead the Nuggets to their 10th win in 12 games. and the Denver team, which had an advantage of up to 31 points, drew again with the Los Angeles Clippers, who rested, for third place in the Western Conference with a 44-22 record.
The base Austin Rivers scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter against his former team, power forward Michael Porter Jr. with 17 others and the Argentine guard, the rookie Facundo Campazzo, reached 16 goals.
Campazzo, who played 33 minutes, scored 5 of 12 field goals, including 2 of 7 triples, and 4-4 from the personnel line. The former Real Madrid player also shone in the paint with nine rebounds -seven defensive-, distributed four assists and for the second consecutive game he recovered five balls, lost one, put two blocks and committed a personal foul.
The Nuggets distanced themselves early from the Knicks, who committed three fouls in the first 22 seconds of the game and coach Tom Thibodeau received a 28-second technical foul. Things got worse from there.
Canadian forward RJ Barrett made his third foul with 5:32 minutes remaining in the first period, the Knicks making 4 of 24 shots from the field.
Jokic doubled New York’s total points on his own in the first (24-12) and from there the meeting was channeled for those from Colorado.
Power forward Julius Randle scored 14 points and eight rebounds and point guard Derrick Rose, forward Reggie Bullock and Barrett also scored 14 points each.
The Knicks had won 12 of 13 games before the game against the Nuggets. and they lowered their mark to 39-27, which allows them to remain fourth in the Eastern Conference, half a game ahead of the Atlanta Hawks (37-30), who are fifth.