Reserve Jeff Green scores season-high in Nuggets’ victory

Reserve Jeff Green finished with a season-high 24 points, Nikola Jokic notched his 21st triple-double of the season and the Denver Nuggets defeated short-handed Dallas Mavericks 118-109 on Wednesday night.

Going into the break with a W pic.twitter.com/FPRGwNMfIZ

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 16, 2023

Nikola Jokic finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the Western Conference-leading Nuggets’ last game before the All-Star break.

Not bad final stats pic.twitter.com/LbbN9NGQv7

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 16, 2023

Michael Porter Jr. hit five 3-pointers and finished with 22 points as Denver moved to an NBA-best 27-4 at home this season.

“For us to continue to find ways to win and have different guys step up every night, I think it speaks to our chemistry, our depth,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “We’ve got a really good team in there.”

Luka Doncic scored 37 points in leading the Dallas team that was missing guard Kyrie Irving – acquired as part of a deal with Brooklyn on Feb. 6, due to lower-back tightness.

Two-time reigning MVP Jokic joined some elite company by going over 500 assists and 500 rebounds before the All-Star break. The other NBA players to accomplish the feat were Russell Westbrook (three times, ’16-17, ’17-18, ’18-19) and Oscar Robertson (’61-62).

It was Doncic’s 65th career game with 35 or more points. Only LeBron James had more (87) before his 24th birthday. Doncic turns 24 on Feb. 28.

After the All-Star break, the Mavericks start a six-game homestand against San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 23. Nuggets will visit Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 23.