Nikola Jokic, Nuggets regroup to beat Pelicans in OT

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The Denver Nuggets lost their big lead, head coach and cool.

Not the game, though. Nikola Jokic made sure of that.

The Denver big man scored 30 of his 46 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and the Nuggets rallied after squandering an early 21-point lead to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 138-130 on Sunday night.

Jokic hit two free throws to tie it with 3.2 second remaining in regulation and then knocked in a momentum-swinging 3-pointer with 1:30 left in OT. His big night led to an improbable win in which coach Michael Malone was ejected late in the third quarter, the team completely unraveling and then regrouping down the stretch.

Jokic, the reigning NBA MVP, also had 12 rebounds and 11 assists for his league-leading 17th triple-double of the season.

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Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, drives the lane to the rim as New Orleans Pelicans center Willy Hernangomez defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 6, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

"I feel really comfortable taking important shots," Jokic said. "I think my teammates believe in me."

That's an understatement.

"He took over," said Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, who had 28 points. "He’s just a spectacle to watch."

Brandon Ingram had 38 points for New Orleans. The Pelicans had won four in a row.

"Give Denver credit, they did what they needed to down the stretch to win the game," Pelicans coach Willie Green said. "But we’ll be better for going through these types of experiences."

Denver nearly won it in regulation on a steal by Jokic, but Jeff Green's last-second shot was just off the mark. In