Nikola Jokic Leads Nuggets To Win Over Pacers In Game Whose Start Was Delayed Due To Blizzard

Nikola Jokic notched his 35th double-double with 32 points and 14 rebounds, leading the Denver Nuggets over the travel-weary Indiana Pacers 121-106 on Monday night. Michael Porter Jr. and Will Barton each scored 20 factors for the Nuggets, who utilized a huge 4th quarter to obtain the win.

Malcom Brogdon led Indiana with 24 as well as Justin Holiday had 19. Domantas Sabonis ended up a rebound shy of a triple-double with 10 factors and 10 assists.

The start of the game was returned a hr due to the fact that the Pacers were incapable to fly from Phoenix right into Denver till Monday mid-day. A snowstorm that officially went down 27 inches at Denver International Airport closed the paths from late Sunday early morning. 4 paths were resumed mid-afternoon Monday.

” I knew they got in late so I simply wanted to place my foot on the gas early to determine if they was or had not been (weary), however I knew I was mosting likely to figure it out,” said Barton, who scored the initial 8 factors of the game for Denver. “I was mosting likely to try to place them on their heels. I was mosting likely to figure out somehow if they were tired.”

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets puts up a shot over Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers in the first period at Ball Arena on March 15, 2021 in Denver.

Nikola Jokic # 15 of the Denver Nuggets puts up a shot over Myles Turner # 33 of the Indiana Pacers in the first period at Ball Arena on March 15, 2021 in Denver Indiana rallied from 20 down in the first fifty percent to take a 79-74 lead midway with the third quarter. The Pacers led 91-87 after 3, yet the Nuggets opened the 4th with 14 straight points to take a 101-91 lead.” Our protection in the 3rd quarter was a joke as well as if we had any kind of opportunity of returning and winning we had to play protection, “Denver instructor Michael Malone said.” That quarter they had 35 factors as well as shot 61.9% from the field.”

pic-1940323-text-NikolaJokic # 15 of the Denver Nuggets is safeguarded by Myles Turner # 33 of the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena on March 15, 2021.NikolaJokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena on March 15, 2021.

The Pacers didn’t score their first points until virtually five mins right into the fourth and also were outscored 34-15. Caris LeVert really did not intend to criticize the travel problems for the loss.

” Going down 20 points to an excellent group is tough to conquer,” he said. “We’re competitors, we do not wish to make reasons. Stuff occurs in life. For us to reach where we wish to go, we can not drop 20 indicate a good team like that.”

TIP-INS

Pacers: G Jeremy Lamb missed his 2nd straight video game with an aching left knee. … LeVert had 17 factors in his second video game back from having a cancerous mass eliminated from his kidney on Jan. 26.

Nuggets: G Monte Morris was out of the lineup for the second straight game with a quad strain. G Gary Harris missed his 12th straight game with a left adductor strain, while R.J. Hampton continues to be out due to health and wellness procedures.

SNOW BUSINESS

Pacers trainer Nate Bjorkgren made use of his experience in the D-League when dealing with the delayed travel.

” There’s a couple of individuals on our team that have actually undergone points such as this prior to,” he stated. “Fifteen years back, when I was in the minors, this things took place, a little bit, not a whole lot, however it took place. We did a great deal of travel on the day of the video game.”

Indiana wasn’t the just one impacted by the weather condition. Umpires Bill Kennedy, Michael Smith and Jonathan Sterling, the officiating crew from Saturday night’s game in Denver, were stuck in community and worked Monday’s game.

The Los Angeles Kings, who played the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday mid-day, had to stay over night Sunday and also the NHL postponed the Kings’ Monday evening house video game versus St. Louis.

UP NEXT

Pacers: Host Brooklyn on Wednesday evening.

Nuggets: Host Charlotte on Wednesday night.

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