Led by Jokic and Porter Jr., the Nuggets defeat the Cavaliers

CLEVELAND (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 24 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists for his last triple-double, while Michael Porter Jr. scored 25 points, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 115-109 win Thursday night. .

Jokic’s 13th triple-double in 16 games and his 22nd of the season, the most in the NBA, helped the Nuggets return from the All-Star break with an impressive road win over the Cavs, who lost to a 25-7 record at home. The Nuggets improved to 22-0 when Jokic posted a triple-double.

Evan Mobley had 31 points but none in the fourth quarter for Cleveland, which had chances late in the game. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland each had 22 points and Jarrett Allen added 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavs.

Porter Jr. made two 3-pointers and Jokic added another as the Nuggets went on a 13-4 run and took a 114-109 lead with 2:15 remaining. After that, Cleveland missed every shot on its next three possessions, allowing Denver to walk away with a win that had the intensity of a postseason game.

Jamal Murray returned to the Denver roster after missing six games with right knee pain. He had 16 points and nine assists.