Denver Nuggets at Milwaukee Bucks

· National Basketball Association

Denver Nuggets

28-21, 15-12 Away

Final
136 - 100

Milwaukee Bucks

31-21, 18-9 Home

Nikola Jokic, Nuggets rout defending champ Bucks 136-100

The reigning NBA MVP just missed his 13th triple-double of the season. He matched his season high for assists.

“He likes to win,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said about Jokic. “He’s going to do whatever it takes to win. Credit to him.”

Aaron Gordon scored 24 points, Monte Morris had 18 and Will Barton 15 for the Nuggets. They improved to 4-0 on a six-game trip and matched their longest winning streak of the season. Denver has won six of the last seven and 13 of the last 19 road games against Milwaukee.

“We had a lot of guys shoot the ball really really well tonight,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “This is a really really good win for us.”

The Nuggets had a season-high 39 assists, four more than they had against the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 15.

Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 22 of his 29 points in the first half. He was the MVP in consecutive seasons before Jokic earned that honor last season.

Jrue Holiday scored 14 points, and Bobby Portis, who guarded Jokic throughout the contest, added 11 for the Bucks. Grayson Allen finished with 11 points in his second start since serving a one-game suspension for his flagrant foul 2 on the Chicago Bulls’ Alex Caruso that resulted in a fractured right wrist.

“Any time you can win all fourth quarters that means your starters are playing really well and your bench is playing really well,” Malone said.

Denver took control in the third quarter. The Nuggets led 118-93 when the Bucks called a timeout with 5:55 left to play and cleared the bench.

“They were significantly better than us tonight,” Budenholzer said.

Jokic passed to Barton, who flipped a no-luck pass to Gordon for an uncontested dunk that capped a 12-5 run and gave Denver a 77-62 lead with 8:27 left in the third quarter. The Bucks immediately called a timeout to figure out how to stop the Nuggets. They never did.

“He (Jokic) was sitting there picking us apart,” Holliday said. “We didn't give ourselves a chance to win.”

Milwaukee beat the Nuggets 120-109 in Denver on Nov. 26.

TIP INS:

Nuggets: Barton was back in the starting lineup after missing two game due to non-COVID illness. … DeMarcus Cousins (sprained right foot) was ruled out. Cousins appeared in 17 games for the Bucks on a non-guaranteed contract, but was waived Jan. 6. The Nuggets signed him to a 10-day contract Jan. 21.

Bucks: George Hill (neck soreness) was out.

Nuggets: At Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Bucks: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

Regular Season Series

Series tied 1-1

Recent Plays

4th 0.0	End of Game	136 - 100
4th 0.0	End of the 4th Quarter	136 - 100
4th 22.5	Markus Howard makes 25-foot step back jumpshot (Davon Reed assists)	136 - 100
4th 28.0	Nuggets offensive team rebound	133 - 100
4th 28.0	Thanasis Antetokounmpo blocks Markus Howard 's 3-foot two point shot	133 - 100

Statistics

DEN		MIL
53-88	FG	37-78
60	Field Goal %	47
23-43	3PT	10-30
53	Three Point %	33
7-10	FT	16-22
70	Free Throw %	73
41	Rebounds	32
6	Offensive Rebounds	6
35	Defensive Rebounds	26
39	Assists	23
8	Steals	6
3	Blocks	3
9	Turnovers	15
1	Team Turnovers	0
10	Total Turnovers	15
2	Technical Fouls	1
2	Total Technical Fouls	1
0	Flagrant Fouls	0
11	Points Conceded Off Turnovers	27
15	Fast Break Points	5
44	Points in Paint	44
15	Fouls	10
36	Largest Lead	4