Nikola Jokic scored 10 of his 19 points in the first quarter to help the Denver Nuggets pull away from the Indiana Pacers in Mexico City, securing a 114-102 victory. Jokic also grabbed 13 rebounds and delivered eight assists, leading Denver to their fourth win in five games.
The game marked the NBA’s 35th contest played south of the U.S. border, with Indiana acting as the home team despite the neutral venue. The Pacers were without All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who missed the trip due to a hamstring strain.
Denver took control early, capitalizing on a four-minute scoring drought by Indiana in the second quarter with a 15-0 run. Jamal Murray’s jumper pushed the Nuggets’ lead to 64-37 just before halftime, their largest margin of the game. Murray finished with 16 points, while Cameron Johnson contributed 18.
The Pacers made a push in the third quarter. Aaron Nesmith hit back-to-back three-pointers to cut the deficit to 79-67. Quenton Jackson’s layup with 1:16 remaining in the quarter trimmed Denver’s lead to 10 points.
Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 23 points, supported by 15 off the bench from Larry Nance Jr. Despite their efforts, the Pacers could not close the gap in the fourth quarter. Jarace Walker’s three-pointer brought Indiana within 102-95 with just over seven minutes left, but Denver responded with six straight points to restore a double-digit lead.
Indiana has now lost five of its last six games, while Denver’s recent strong form continues. The Nuggets will visit Houston on Monday night, with the Pacers heading to Dallas on the same day.
According to Yahoo Sports.