Cavaliers hold on to defeat host Nuggets, despite strong double-double from Nikola Jokic / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AP-Scanpix Credit AP-Scanpix

Jarrett Allen had 21 points and 16 rebounds, Kevin Love scored 22 points, and the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers (2-2) beat the Denver Nuggets (2-1) 99-87 (29-24, 21-22, 25-24, 24-17) on Monday night.

Player of the Game EFF 35 Jarrett Allen Points 21 Accuracy 10-11 Rebounds 16 Assists 2

Collin Sexton scored 14 points, Lauri Markkanen had 12 points and Evan Mobley amassed 10 points and eight rebounds for Cleveland.

Nikola Jokic finished with 24 points and 19 rebounds, Aaron Gordon and Will Barton scored 12 points apiece and Michael Porter Jr. had 11 points for Denver. The Nuggets committed 22 turnovers.

Denver trailed for most of the game, and a tough start to the fourth quarter doomed the Nuggets.

After P.J. Dozier dunked to pull the Nuggets within 75-72, Cleveland took over.

Markkanen dunked and Mobley hit a layup before a Denver turnover led to a 3-pointer by Sexton, putting the Cavaliers ahead by 10.

Denver missed two shots and had another turnover, leading to more points for Cleveland. Darius Garland's layup with 8:28 left made it 89-73.

The Nuggets scored the next two buckets and had a chance to get the deficit below 10 but Monte Morris missed a 3-point attempt.

Ricky Rubio scored on a finger roll for the Cavaliers, and after Morris stepped out of bounds with the ball, Allen hit a reverse layup, giving the Cavaliers a 93-77 with 5:28 left. Cleveland closed it out from there.

The Cavaliers grabbed a nine-point lead in the first quarter and repelled every Denver rally in the first half. It was 50-40 late in the second quarter, but the Nuggets scored the last six points of the half to get within 50-46.

Denver turned it over three times early in the third quarter and Cleveland took advantage, going up 62-51 on Sexton's 3-pointer.

The Nuggets went on a 14-4 run to get within 66-65 on Barton's layup, but they missed opportunities to go ahead, and the Cavaliers stretched the lead to five.

Jokic answered with a layup and then converted a three-point play to tie it at 70-all in the final minute of the quarter.

Cleveland got two free throws by Love to make it 75-70 heading into the fourth.

Cavs: Kevin Love 22 (6 REB), Jarrett Allen 21 (16 REB), Collin Sexton 14, Lauri Markkanen 12 (4 REB), Evan Mobley 10 (8 REB).

Nuggets: Nikola Jokic 24 (19 REB), Will Barton 12, Aaron Gordon 12 (9 REB), Michael Porter 11 (5 REB).

Nikola Jokic performance

Full game highlights

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