Nikola Jokic scores 30 as Nuggets bounce back to beat Jazz

Nikola Jokic scored 30 points as the Denver Nuggets bounced back from a home loss to New York and a tongue-lashing from their coach to earn a 122-103 victory over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night.

Jokic scored 21 points in the opening half, helping the Nuggets turn a 12-point deficit into a 10-point halftime lead. He hit 13 of 19 field goals overall and finished with 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Jamal Murray added 22 points and eight assists, Michael Porter Jr. contributed 19 points and seven rebounds and Christian Braun had 18 points with seven boards in the win.

Denver shot 54.8 percent — while limiting Utah to 42.2 percent shooting — and outscored the Jazz 64-38 in the paint. The result came two nights after their coach, Mike Malone, called out their lack of effort and leadership following a 145-118 loss to the Knicks in Denver.

Collin Sexton scored 26 points and Keyonte George scored 23 to lead the Jazz, who couldn’t hold on to their early double-digit lead.

Utah was without key players Lauri Markkanen (personal reasons), John Collins (knee) and Jordan Clarkson (foot) while losing for the sixth time in seven games.

Walker Kessler had a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Micah Potter grabbed a game-high 16 boards with nine points for the Jazz.

Utah played for the second straight night at home after losing to the Spurs 128-115 on Tuesday night.

Utah got off to a good start, scoring the first five points and then taking a 19-8 lead after consecutive 3-pointers by George.

Jokic fueled a surge in Denver to help trim Utah’s one-time 12-point lead down to one at the end of the first quarter.

The Nuggets took a 63-53 halftime lead by outscoring the Jazz 29-18 in the second quarter, including a 6-0 run heading into halftime. Jokic scored 21 in the opening half.

Denver turned it into a 13-0 run after opening the third quarter with a Murray layup, a Jokic bucket and a Porter 3.

Utah briefly got back within 12 points before Denver broke it open by going up by as many as 26 in the third quarter. The Nuggets outscored the Jazz 66-41 in the decisive second and third quarters.

— Field level media