Nikola Jokic posts a 20-20, while Nuggets knock off Cunningham's Pistons / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AP-Scanpix Credit AP-Scanpix

Nikola Jokic accounted for 28 points, 21 rebounds, and nine assists while the visiting Denver Nuggets (25-21) defeated the Detroit Pistons (11-36) for the second time in three nights, 110-105 (34-32, 35-27, 28-26, 13-20), on Tuesday.

Player of the Game EFF 43 Nikola Jokic Points 28 Accuracy 9-20 Rebounds 21 Assists 9

Jeff Green had 20 points and Aaron Gordon contributed 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Monte Morris added 12 points and Austin Rivers chipped in 10 as the Nuggets overcame 25 turnovers. Denver pulled out a 117-111 home victory over Detroit on Sunday.

Rookie Cade Cunningham carried the Pistons with a season-high 34 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. He added a season-high four blocks as well. Saddiq Bey had 21 points, Hamidou Diallo tossed in 14 and Frank Jackson added 11 for the Pistons.

The Nuggets led by as much as 12 in the first half and carried a 69-59 lead to the locker room. Denver could have scored even more if it hadn't made 12 turnovers.

The Nuggets shot 20 free throws in the first half and made 17, while the Pistons went 8-for-10 from the line.

Jokic had 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists before the break. Gordon also reached double digits with 12 points as Denver shot 51.1 percent from the field.

Cunningham led Detroit with 15 points and five assists but also picked up his third foul in the final minute of the second quarter. Bey and Diallo, the team's starting forwards, combined for 23 points in the first half.

The Pistons called timeout after the Nuggets extended their lead to 14 in the first two minutes of the second half. Green's 3-pointer midway through the quarter made it 86-71.

Detroit then went on an 11-2 run, capped by a Cunningham 3-pointer. Denver nudged the lead to 12, 97-85, by the end of the quarter.

The Pistons scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to cut the Nuggets' lead in half. Cunningham drained a 3-pointer with 5:33 left to make it a three-point game.

Jokic answered with a 3-pointer. Cunningham's layup with 1:31 remaining pulled Detroit within four at 106-102. The Pistons then came up empty in their next three possessions, allowing the Nuggets to hang on.

Nuggets: Nikola Jokic 28 (21 REB, 9 AST), Jeff Green 20, Aaron Gordon 16 (5 REB, 5 AST), Monte Morris 12 (8 REB), Austin Rivers 10.

Pistons: Cade Cunningham 34 (8 REB, 8 AST), Saddiq Bey 21, Hamidou Diallo 14 (5 REB), Frank Jackson 11, Trey Lyles 10 (6 REB).

Nikola Jokic's performance

Full game highlights

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