Nikola Jokic recorded 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in three quarters and the Denver Nuggets rolled to a record-setting 157-103 victory over the host Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.
The 157 points were the most scored by an NBA team this season. It was the sixth-highest single-game total in Nuggets history.
Jamal Murray added 25 points, six rebounds and six assists as the Nuggets set a team regular-season record with the 54-point margin of victory. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 points off the bench and made four 3-pointers to raise his career total to 2,003.
Cameron Johnson had 15 points and Christian Braun added 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for Denver, which didn’t look the least bit taxed on the second end of a road back-to-back.
The Nuggets also posted the second-most points in a half (82 before halftime) in franchise history.
Denver’s previous record for a regular-season winning margin was 52 points against the Seattle SuperSonics on March 16, 2008. The Nuggets won a playoff game by 58 points when they routed the New Orleans Pelicans in a first-round game on April 27, 2009.
Jrue Holiday scored 19 points as Portland was blown out while playing for the first since Feb. 9. Deni Avdija registered 15 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds and Donovan Clingan added 15 points and nine boards for the Trail Blazers.
Scoot Henderson and Vit Krejci added 11 points apiece off the bench and Toumani Camara had 10 for Portland, who took their sixth-worst loss in club history.
The Nuggets shot 57.3% from the field and were 21 of 41 (51.2%) from 3-point range. Denver held a dominating 60-36 rebounding advantage.
The Trail Blazers hit 40.7% of their field-goal attempts, including 15 of 47 (31.9%) from behind the arc.
Denver scored 41 points in each of the first two quarters to hold an 82-53 halftime lead. Jokic put up 24 points and Murray added 18 for the Nuggets while Holiday had 11 first-half points for Portland.
Jokic had 19 points in the opening quarter as Denver took a 14-point advantage.
