Nikola Jokic Scores Career High As Nuggets Roll Over Magic

DENVER (The Sports Xchange) - Nikola Jokic has made headlines with his highlight-worthy passing ability. Now his talent is spreading to his team.

Jokic continued his strong play with a career-high 30 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Orlando Magic 125-112 on Monday.

Emmanuel Mudiay had 18 points and a career-high 13 assists and Kenneth Faried scored 20 points for the Nuggets (16-23), who had 33 assists after setting a season high with 37.

The pass-happy Nuggets have Jokic to thank for showing the way.

"It's fun to play with him," Faried said. "He's a willing passer. He doesn't care who scores the points as long as we're winning. That's a great player to play with."

Denver was playing for just the second time in the last nine days after facing Indiana in London on Thursday as part of the NBA Global Games. The Nuggets routed the Pacers 140-112 at O2 Arena and carried that scorching offensive play into Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

They have scored at least 100 points in 13 of their last 14 games and are averaging 132.5 in the last two.

"This team's on a tear," Orlando coach Frank Vogel said. "Even when we played good defense, they made shots."

Elfrid Payton had 20 points and 12 assists for the Magic (17-26), who lost for the sixth time in seven games and fell to 1-4 on their season-long six game road trip that wraps up in New Orleans on Wednesday.

The news wasn't all good for Denver. Shooting guard Gary Harris left the game early in the first quarter with a sprained right ankle. Harris departed soon after he had his shot blocked by Nikola Vucevic and went to the locker room at the next timeout.

An X-ray on the ankle was negative for a break or fracture, but he will likely miss Tuesday's game at the L.A. Lakers.

"He came down and landed on someone's foot and rolled it," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. "It's the same foot that he had injured but not the same injury. It's just an ankle sprain. We'll see how he feels (Tuesday) but good chance he's out against the Lakers."

Harris has dealt with injuries throughout the season. He missed 16 games in November and December with a right foot injury and five other contests with a right groin strain.

Denver was able to have enough offense to beat Orlando without Harris. The Nuggets had at least 30 points in the first three quarters -- extending the streak to seven straight periods reaching the mark -- and built a 22-point lead in the fourth.

Jokic scored 18 of Denver's 76 points in the paint, the second straight game it has had 70 or more in the lane.

"Maybe last two games, probably our best games," Jokic said. "We need to continue doing that because we are winning."

Jokic is a big reason for that. He has notched 12 double-doubles in the last 19 games and is averaging 18.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists while showing his team how to win.

"If I'm doing that, I'm so happy," he said. "Because I know the ball is flying around, when you play defense, that's really hard to guard. You don't know where is the ball. I'm glad if I'm doing that."

Orlando, which lost for the first time this season when shooting at least 50 percent, got within 12 midway through the fourth quarter but never really threatened.

"They got going early and everybody pretty much had a rhythm throughout the game," Payton said.

Jokic had 20 points and Mudiay 12 to lead Denver to a 69-61 lead at halftime. The Nuggets shot 60 percent in the first half and 58.4 for the game.

NOTES: Magic G Evan Fournier (right heel soreness) missed his second straight game and will likely be out the near future. He missed six games from Dec. 23-Jan. 2 with the same injury. ... Nuggets F Darrell Arthur (left knee soreness) was inactive for the second straight game. He has been limited to 17 games this season with various ailments. ... Orlando G D.J. Augustin played the final 28 games with Denver last season. He averaged 11.6 points and 4.7 assists for the Nuggets. ... Denver players wore shirts honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day. G Will Barton spoke to the crowd before tip showing appreciation for the civil rights leader.