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NBA: Short-handed Nuggets sweep four-game homestand behind Jokic's latest triple-double

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Clock Icon7 hoursBasketball

Nikola Jokic had 32 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists for his sixth triple-double in nine games this season, and the short-handed Denver Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 117-100 on Saturday night to sweep a four-game homestand.

Denver played without regulars Jamal Murray (left calf tightness) and Aaron Gordon (left hamstring) in the second game of a back-to-back. Jalen Pickett and Peyton Watson, who had a season-high 16 points, started instead.

Gordon, who missed 31 games last year with injuries, is averaging a career-best 20.1 points.

Indiana, which has been without multiple players at the start of the season, lost for the eighth time in nine games. The Pacers got Andrew Nembhard back from a left shoulder strain that cost him the last seven games.

Aaron Nesmith scored 25 points for Indiana and Nembhard added 22.

Jokic, who had a season-high eight turnovers, secured the triple-double on a pass to Cam Johnson with 7:49 left in the third quarter.

Fox sparks Spurs in season debut

De’Aaron Fox scored 24 points in his season debut, Victor Wembanyama added 18 points and 18 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the New Orleans Pelicans 126-119.

Stephon Castle added 14 points and 14 assists as San Antonio won its second straight after two straight losses following a franchise-best 5-0 start.

Trey Murphy III matched a career high with 41 points on 15-for-22 shooting for the Pelicans. Murphy was 5 for 11 on 3-pointers, including a high-arching 31-footer at the close of the third quarter to stun the sellout crowd.

Fox and Wembanyama played together for just the sixth time since San Antonio acquired the speedy point guard from Sacramento on Feb. 5 as part of a three-team trade with Chicago.

Fox’s season ended March 12 when he opted to undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn tendon in his left pinky finger. Fox then sustained a right hamstring injury during the offseason as he prepared for his first full season with the Spurs.

Banged-up Hawks end Lakers’ run

Mouhamed Gueye scored a career-high 21 points, Dyson Daniels had 10 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, and the ailing Atlanta Hawks beat the Lakers 122-102 to snap Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak.

The Hawks led by 30 points despite playing without three of their five starters. All-Star Trae Young is sidelined with an MCL sprain. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Nikola Durisic, Jalen Johnson and Kristaps Porzingis (rest) were also inactive.

Yet Atlanta led 37-20 after one quarter behind 11 points from Gueye, who made his second start of the season and had seven rebounds and seven assists.

The Hawks kept rolling momentum in the second quarter, extending the lead to 62-47. Los Angeles cut it to 10 before Atlanta bounced back with a pair of 3-pointers, ending the half with a 68-54 lead.

Atlanta held Lakers star Luka Doncic, averaging 40 points this season, to 17 points. He also had 11 assists, five rebounds and was 4 for 6 from the free throw line. Doncic was done for the night halfway through the third quarter.