Nuggets narrow gap in Western Conference with win over Rockets

Nikola Jokic had 16 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds, Jamal Murray scored a game-high 30 points, and the host Denver Nuggets beat Houston 129-93 on Wednesday night to close the gap on the Rockets.

Houston entered the night in third place in the Western Conference, 1 1/2 games ahead of sixth-place Denver. Four teams are now within a game of the third seed in the West.

Christian Braun scored 19 points, Cameron Johnson added 17 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 14 and Jonas Valanciunas finished with 12 points for the Nuggets, which won the season series between the teams, 3-1.

Amen Thompson scored 16 points, Josh Okogie had 12 points, Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. had 11 points each and Alperen Sengun finished with 10 for the Rockets.

Jokic was approaching a triple-double in the second quarter and finished the half with six points, seven rebounds and nine assists.

Houston, which beat Toronto at home Tuesday night, led 43-42 late in the second quarter but the Nuggets scored eight straight points to go ahead, and took a 53-47 advantage into halftime.

Denver quickly opened up a 10-point lead early in the third quarter and Jokic got his 10th assist on Johnson's corner 3-pointer that ended six straight points by the Rockets.

The Nuggets extended their lead with a strong push after Sengun made it 60-55 with a layup. Jokic hit a floater in the lane, Murray dunked off a Houston miss and Johnson hit a 3-pointer to make it 67-55.

Durant and Thompson slowed the rally with jumpers but a 12-2 run capped by consecutive 3-pointers from Braun made it 82-63 with 4:03 left in the period and forced a Rockets timeout.

Denver continued to control the game, going ahead 90-69 on a steal and dunk and Hardaway's 3-pointer with 4.8 seconds left in the third sent the Nuggets into the fourth with a 93-69 lead.

They led by as many as 39 and emptied the bench after Valanciunas hit a jumper to make it 115-83 midway through the fourth.