Dec 22, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) shoots over New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) during overtime at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Nikola Jokic overcame a slow start to finish with a triple-double and the visiting Denver Nuggets rebounded from a 17-point deficit to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans 132-129 in overtime Sunday night.

Jokic was scoreless until late in the second quarter but finished with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, his NBA-best 11th triple-double of the season. He scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half and overtime. Jamal Murray also scored 27 while Russell Westbrook had 21.

Reserve Jordan Hawkins scored a season-high 25 points and CJ McCollum had 24 to pace the Pelicans.

Jokic scored the Nuggets’ first three baskets of overtime then assisted on Gordon’s tiebreaking basket before Jamal Murray added a layup. New Orleans got within two points twice after that but could get no closer.

Rockets 114, Raptors 110

Dillon Brooks scored 27 points, Jalen Green added 22 and Houston rallied past host Toronto, sending the Raptors to their seventh straight loss.

Alperen Sengun contributed 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Rockets, who have won two straight. Toronto’s Ja’Kobe Walter scored 14 of his career-best 27 points in the first quarter before fouling out with 2:40 left in the game.

Houston outscored Toronto by 18 at the free-throw line, making 27 of 33 attempts compared to 9 of 13 for the Raptors, as well as in the paint (62-50) and in second-chance points (21-10).

Pacers 122, Kings 95

Pascal Siakam led a balanced attack with 19 points, Tyrese Haliburton enjoyed his first triumphant homecoming and visiting Indiana rolled past struggling Sacramento.

Playing in Sacramento for just the second time since being dealt from the Kings to the Pacers in February 2022, Haliburton contributed 14 points, eight assists and five rebounds to Indiana’s fourth consecutive win. Siakam complemented his team-high point total with a team-high 10 rebounds, giving him his second consecutive double-double and fourth of the season. Myles Turner (15 points), Ben Sheppard (14), Nembhard (12), T.J. McConnell (12) and Obi Toppin (11) also scored in double figures.

De’Aaron Fox was the game’s top scorer with 23 points for the Kings, who shot just 36.5 percent. He added seven assists. Domantas Sabonis, who went from Indiana to Sacramento in the six-player Haliburton trade, snatched a game-high 21 rebounds to go with 17 points.

–Field Level Media