Nuggets beat Pelicans 104-91 as Jokic reaches 200th triple-double

The Denver Nuggets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 104-91 on Wednesday night.

Nikola Jokic recorded his 200th career triple-double in the win. He finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. This milestone places him in exclusive company in the NBA.

Only Russell Westbrook has more career triple-doubles. Westbrook reached his 200th mark two years ago while playing for Denver. Jokic now trails the all-time record by nine triple-doubles. Both players achieved their 200th milestone while wearing the Nuggets uniform.

Coach David Adelman relied on a large lineup to secure the victory. He started Trevon Brazile at the small forward position for the first time in his career. The Nuggets opened the game with an 8-13 run using Brazile, Aaron Gordon, and Jokic in the frontcourt. This unit helped establish an early lead.

Adelman said he chose this grouping because Brazile could handle the matchups at the three. He noted that other nights make the role unfair for the rookie. Brazile played 31 minutes in his fourth career game. He recorded 11 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.

The team also experimented with double centers. Jokic and Marvin Bagley III shared the court for the first time this season. They went on an 8-2 run to end the first quarter. Bagley finished with 8 points and 5 rebounds. He struggled in the second half but was effective in his early minutes.

Shooting from beyond the arc remained a major issue for Denver. The team shot 12-for-31 from three-point range in the game. Their season average stood at 32.8% after four games. A lineup featuring one star and four non-spacers stalled their momentum late in the third quarter.

The Nuggets led 77-64 with 3 minutes and 26 seconds left in the third quarter. They then went to a unit with Jokic, Tyus Jones, Christian Braun, DeMar DeRozan, and Bagley. That group scored on only one of eight possessions. New Orleans responded with a 9-0 run to cut the lead to 79-73.

Aaron Gordon restored the Nuggets' lead with a corner three-pointer. Christian Braun followed with three late three-pointers to pull Denver away. Jamal Murray led the team with 23 points. He shot 5-for-11 from deep in the win.

Four rotation players sat out the game. Cam Johnson has a right ankle injury and was ruled out less than an hour before tip-off. Spencer Jones is dealing with a hamstring issue. Their absence left the team short on outside shooting options.