Denver Nuggets defeat Dallas Mavericks 125-114 behind Nikola Jokic's dominant performance.

Nikola Jokic had 33 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, and the host Denver Nuggets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 125-114 in the first game of the in-season tournament for both teams.

Michael Porter Jr. had 24 points and nine rebounds, Jamal Murray had 18 points and 13 assists, and Aaron Gordon had 18 points as well.

Dallas was led by Luka Doncic's 34 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, Kyrie Irving's 22 points in his return to the lineup, and Grant Williams and Josh Green's 13 points each. Head coach Jason Kidd did not make the trip due to a non-COVID illness. Acting head coach was assistant Sean Sweeney.

Jokic scored 20 points in the first half and finished with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give Denver a 70-55 lead at halftime. The Nuggets led by as many as 16 points in the first half and led for the game's final 45 minutes.

Dallas went on a run late in the third quarter, trailing 93-73. Green hit a pair of three-pointers, Dwight Powell dunked, Jahlil Hardy hit a three-pointer, and Doncic split a pair of free throws to make it 99-87.

Porter drained his fourth 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter, giving the Nuggets a 15-point lead going into the fourth.

After Irving's layup and Doncic's three-point play to start the fourth made it 102-92, Denver quickly responded with five straight points from Christian Braun to take a 14-point lead, but the Mavericks made another push.

Doncic hit two 3-pointers, fed Irving for another, and Irving hit a technical free throw to cut it to eight points, but the Nuggets held on.

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