Jokic triple as Nuggets down Mavs, LeBron return sparks Lakers

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

The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player 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 fifth game for Dallas after complaining of lower back tightness.

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

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

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

Elsewhere Wednesday, LeBron James returned from an injury absence to help the new-look Los Angeles Lakers rout the New Orleans Pelicans 120-102.

James had not played since breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA all-time scoring record last week due to a niggling ankle problem.

But the 38-year-old star showed no sign of lingering fitness issues, scoring 21 points in the Lakers victory. Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 28 points while newly acquired point guard D'Angelo Russell impressed with a 21-point haul.

In Boston, Jayson Tatum returned in style with 38 points as the Celtics 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.

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