NBA roundup: Jokic, Murray star as Nuggets take revenge on Thunder

Nikola Jokic, showcased an impressive performance by scoring 35 points, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 140-127 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, who currently hold the top position in the Western Conference, during an NBA matchup on Monday.

In the previous encounter on Sunday, Jokic had to yield the spotlight to Thunder's star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, resulting in a significant 127-103 defeat for Denver in the first of their back-to-back games.

However, the three-time NBA Most Valuable Player took charge in the second game, effectively ending Oklahoma City's seven-game winning streak with a decisive win.

The Nuggets' well-rounded offensive strategy proved overwhelming for the Thunder, as six players scored in double figures, with Jokic leading the charge.

Jamal Murray provided strong support, contributing 34 points, as the Nuggets outperformed the Thunder 73-54 in the second half, marking the highest points total allowed by Oklahoma City this season.

"We came out ready to play," Murray said afterwards. "We knew we were going to have to play 48 minutes of defence, so we wanted to have the right mindset."

"It's always tough to play here - they've got a great crowd and a great team."

"But I've got the best player in the world on my team," Murray added, referring to Jokic.

Luguentz Dort was the top scorer for the Thunder, contributing 26 points, while Gilgeous-Alexander added 25. Oklahoma City maintains its position at the top of the Western Conference with a record of 53-12, while Denver has climbed to second place with a record of 42-23, trailing by 11 games.

In other news on Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers faced a challenging start to their campaign without LeBron James, suffering a defeat against the struggling Brooklyn Nets in New York.

James, who exited Saturday's game against Boston due to a groin injury, is expected to be sidelined for up to two weeks. He observed the game from the sidelines as the Nets secured a well-deserved victory at the Barclays Center.

The Lakers initially appeared poised to rebound from their loss to the Celtics, establishing a 15-point lead early in the second quarter after outscoring Brooklyn 28-16 in the first.

However, Brooklyn responded strongly, outpacing Los Angeles 32-19 in the second quarter to take a narrow 48-47 lead into halftime, ultimately holding off the Lakers in the fourth quarter to achieve only their 22nd win of the season.

Noah Clowney was Brooklyn's leading scorer with 19 points off the bench, while both Cameron Johnson and Keon Johnson contributed 18 points each.

For the Lakers, Gabe Vincent led the scoring with 24 points, and Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.

Meanwhile, in Boston, the Celtics extended their winning streak to five games by fending off a determined late surge from the Utah Jazz to secure a victory at the TD Garden.

The Celtics appeared to be in control, having built a 24-point lead late in the third quarter. However, Utah ignited in the fourth quarter, nearly completing a remarkable comeback by scoring 39 points compared to Boston's 24.

Brice Sensabaugh spearheaded Utah's late effort, scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter, but the rally ultimately fell short.

Sam Hauser was the standout scorer for Boston, finishing with 33 points, while Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla opted to rest Jayson Tatum for the night.

SportsLigue