NIKOLA Jokic had 25 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists for his 14th triple-double of the season as the host Denver Nuggets spoiled Doc Rivers’ debut as Milwaukee’s head coach with a 113-107 win over the Bucks on Monday night (Tuesday in Manila).
Jokic has 119 career triple-doubles in the regular season (the fourth-highest total in NBA history), with six coming against Milwaukee.
The Bucks fired first-year coach Adrian Griffin on Jan. 23 and hired Rivers three days later.
They went 2-1 under interim coach Joe Prunty before Rivers coached his first game Monday night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points and 12 rebounds, Brook Lopez scored 19, Damian Lillard finished with 18, Khris Middleton contributed 14 and Bobby Portis grabbed 12 rebounds for Milwaukee.
In other games, it was the Nets 147, Jazz 114; Cavs 118, Clippers 108; Mavs 131, Magic 129; Suns 118, Heat 105; Knicks 113, Hornets 92; Celtics 118, Pelicans 112; Rockets 135, Lakers 119; Wolves 107, Thunder 101; Kings 103, Grizzlies 94; and Wizards 118, Spurs 113.
Nets 147, Jazz 114
Mikal Bridges scored 33 points and Ben Simmons posted a double-double in his 18-minute return from a back injury as Brooklyn pulled away from Utah in New York.
Simmons logged 10 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds after sitting out the previous 38 games. Cam Thomas netted 25 points for the Nets, who finished with a season-high point total as they won their second straight game.
Rookie Keyonte George scored 21 points, but the Jazz lost for the fourth time in six games.
Cavs 118, Clippers 108
Donovan Mitchell had 28 points and 12 assists to help Cleveland beat visiting Los Angeles and end the Clippers’ five-game winning streak.
Jarrett Allen had 20 points and 17 rebounds for his 15th straight double-double and Isaac Okoro scored all 17 of his points in the first half for the Cavaliers, who have won 10 of its past 11 games.
Evan Mobley returned for the Cavaliers after missing the previous 22 games while recovering from arthroscopic left knee surgery. He finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. Kawhi Leonard had 30 points and eight rebounds to lead the Clippers. — Field Level Media
