Nuggets 146, Timberwolves 112

Nikola Jokic may not always dazzle with his athleticism. He sure does with his numbers.

Jokic posted his 19th triple-double of the season by halftime and the Denver Nuggets rode a 49-point first quarter to a 146-112 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.

Jokic finished with 20 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds. It was the second time in his career the big man has notched a triple-double by halftime. Jokic took a seat late in the third quarter with the Western Conference leaders ahead by a large margin.

“It’s incredible he had a triple-double in the first half," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “LeBron (James) did it with just so much athleticism and Nikola does it with much un-athleticism — but equally as effective."

Denver led 49-19 after the first quarter — including a 32-2 run — as the Nuggets shot 79.2% from the floor. The 49 points tied for the second-most in a quarter in the franchise's NBA history. Michael Porter Jr. led the way by scoring 19 of his 30 points in the opening period.

Aaron Gordon added 24 for the Nuggets, who set season highs in points and assists (44).

“Everybody who was in today's game was kind of doing the simple things,” Jokic explained. "We didn’t do anything complicated. So we didn’t turn the ball over, and we were just playing the right way.”

Anthony Edwards and Luka Garza both had 19 points for Minnesota. D’Angelo Russell was ejected after picking up two technical fouls in the third quarter. He finished with 10 points.

“We didn’t play with a lot of physicality. It wasn’t there early,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “Bunch of bad turnovers to start the game, then transition was a disaster. Their shot-making, they got hot and it was over. They kicked our butt in every way you can.”

It was much different than Sunday in Minnesota, where the Timberwolves cruised past Denver 128-98. But in that game, the Nuggets were without four starters: Jokic, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jamal Murray and Gordon.

Murray also missed Tuesday's game due to inflammation in his right knee. He was sidelined all last season as he recovered from a torn ACL in his left knee.

The Nuggets had 12 players who scored at least five points and the team finished at 62.4% shooting from the field.

“We had a night where we were firing on all cylinders,” Malone said. “When we play like that, it’s a lot of fun to watch.”

Thunder 133, Lakers 130

LeBron James became the NBA's career scoring leader on a stepback jumper late in the third quarter, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record during his 38-point performance in the Lakers' loss to Oklahoma City.

James surpassed the mark held since April 1984 by Abdul-Jabbar, who watched the game from a baseline seat near the Lakers' bench.

James' latest moment of NBA history came at an important time for the Lakers, who are struggling to gain any ground as they attempt to avoid the humiliation of missing the playoffs for a second straight season. And while James hit his mark, the Lakers took another discouraging loss.

Anthony Davis managed just 13 points, and the Thunder never trailed in the second half.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and Jalen Williams had 25 for the Thunder, who moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the 13th-place Lakers near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

The young Thunder appeared to feed off the energy created by James' momentous night, even if they couldn't guard him much. Oklahoma City jumped to a 15-point lead in the first half and hit nearly 60% of its shots.

Pelicans 116, Hawks 107

Brandon Ingram scored 30 points, CJ McCollum added 21 and New Orleans beat Atlanta for its third straight victory.

Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 14 rebounds for New Orleans.

The Pelicans led 111-95 when Trey Murphy III hit his fourth 3-pointer of the game with 3:24 to go. Atlanta responded with a 7-0 run, but New Orleans held on.

Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 22 points for Atlanta and Dejounte Murray scored 19. Trae Young had 16 points and 16 assists.

Grizzlies 104, Bulls 89

Ja Morant scored 34 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 24 points and five blocks, and Memphis rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Chicago.

Desmond Bane finished with 17 points and Brandon Clarke had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who stopped a three-game skid.

Nikola Vucevic had 28 points and 17 rebounds for the Bulls, whose three-game winning streak ended. Chicago played without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan because of right hip soreness.

Zach LaVine scored 24 points for Chicago.