Jokic notches triple as Nuggets top Mavs, Sixers survive scare

LOS ANGELES: Nikola Jokic bagged his 21st triple-double of the season as the Denver Nuggets maintained their grip on top spot in the NBA’s Western Conference on Wednesday with a 118-109 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to set up a third straight win for Denver, who now lead the standings by five games with 41 wins and 18 defeats.

The Mavericks were without new signing Kyrie Irving, who watched from the sidelines as Luka Doncic finished with 37 points in vain at Denver’s Ball Arena.

Irving was ruled out of what would have been only his second game for Dallas after complaining of lower back tightness.

Without the offensive firepower of Irving, Dallas struggled to get in the game.

Doncic was the only Mavs starter to finish in double digits — a stark contrast to Denver, who saw all of their starters make double figures.

Michael Porter backed Jokic with 22 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 14. Jeff Green added 24 off the bench.

Elsewhere, Jayson Tatum returned in style with 38 points as Boston trounced Detroit 127-109.

Tatum, who missed Tuesday’s loss to Milwaukee, shot 15-of-24 from the field including six from three-point range.

The Eastern Conference leaders improved to 42-17 with the victory and once more demonstrated their depth, with Malcolm Brogdon adding 25 off the bench.

Bojan Bogdanovic (28 points) led the Pistons scoring.

The win means Boston will hold No.1 seeding in the Eastern Conference heading into the All-Star break later this week.

“All things considered, with everything we went through this season as a team — coaching changes, guys getting injured and missing games — overall it’s been a hell