INDIANAPOLIS — The Nuggets’ loss to the Lakers on Saturday was of the high-exposure variety. National television. A matchup they had dominated in recent years.
They needed a bounce back, and they got one Monday night. Aaron Gordon scored 25 points, Nikola Jokic set a career-high with 19 assists, and Denver won its 10th game in the last 11, a 125-116 victory over the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Nuggets (38-20) opened up a 17-point lead late in the third quarter then held off an Indiana rally as their advantage was sliced to six in the fourth. They are 26-1 this season when they lead at halftime.
Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun and Jamal Murray each contributed 16 or more points as Denver overcame 19 turnovers by outscoring Indiana 74-46 in the paint. As a team, the Nuggets assisted 39 of 53 made shots.
Murray made all four of his 3-point attempts in the first half, continuing to thrive on transition and pick-and-roll pull-up jumpers. But he picked up his third foul early in the second frame, forcing head coach Michael Malone to alternate between Russell Westbrook and Jalen Pickett until halftime.
Pickett has made the most of his occasional playing time this season, and in Indianapolis, he added perhaps his most impressive highlight yet to the sophomore portfolio. He scooped up a loose ball late in the shot clock and buried a 15-foot baseline floater in rhythm, his momentum carrying him behind the backboard as he released. It brought the Nuggets to their feet on the bench behind him.
Gordon eventually joined Murray on the sideline with three fouls, ending his first half with 16 points in just shy of 10 minutes. Zeke Nnaji also supplied solid backup minutes at the four. He scored 14 points and blocked a pair of Pacers 3-pointers, one of them in isolation after getting switched onto Tyrese Haliburton.
Haliburton, one of the best passers in the sport, assisted 15 baskets to accompany his 19 points. All-Star Pascal Siakam was held to 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting. Myles Turner led the Pacers with 23.
Jokic was two nights removed from getting only seven shots up against a Lakers game plan that sold out to deny him the ball. “We all share in it,” Malone said pregame when reflecting on that number. “From me to Nikola to his teammates, again, giving them credit, but we all share in not allowing Nikola, giving him the proper spacing to be able to get open and do what he does better than anybody else in this league.”
Jokic proceeded to attempt only 14 shots (for 18 points), but this time it was more of a side-effect of a masterful passing night. His career-high assists included three timely feeds to Braun in the lane as Denver was holding off the late comeback.
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