ORLANDO, Fla. — Anthony Black scored a career-high 38 points, Desmond Bane made two free throws with 6.9 seconds left and the Orlando Magic overcame another huge triple-double by Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets 127-126 on Saturday night.
Jokic had 34 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists, his 180th triple-double and 16th of the season. Two nights after finishing with 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists in a Christmas overtime victory over Minnesota, he pulled within one of Oscar Robertson for second on the NBA's career triple-doubles list.
It was Jokic's eighth career 30-20-10 game, second-most behind Wilt Chamberlain's 16.
Jamal Murray scored 24 points for Denver, but missed a long jump shot at the horn after Bane's free throws completed Orlando's comeback from a 17-point deficit.
Bane scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter for the Magic, who shot 67.4 per cent in the second half.
Denver's loss, in the opener of a seven-game road trip, was its second straight on the road after 11 straight road victories.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 20 points for the Nuggets, who shot 51.2 per cent for the game.
Wendell Carter Jr. had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Magic before fouling out with 11.9 seconds left after a replay reversal put Jokic on the line for Denver's final points.
Black shot 14 for 24 overall and made seven of 11 three-point shots. He also had a steal from Jokic that led to a layup for his final points late in the fourth quarter.
Up next
Nuggets: Visit Miami on Monday.
Magic: Visit Toronto on Monday.
