Jokic scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the Nuggets' impressive 129-93 victory against the Jazz.

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Nikola Jokic scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds before resting in the fourth quarter, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 129-93 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday night. This win helps the Nuggets strengthen their position in the race for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Denver is currently two games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, while they trail the Houston Rockets by 1.5 games for the second seed. Jokic had an impressive start, recording 11 rebounds in the first quarter, nearly matching his average of 12.8. Michael Porter Jr. contributed 20 points, and Christian Braun added 16.

Jamal Murray was absent due to a tight right hamstring, and the Jazz were without their leading scorers, Lauri Markkanen and John Collins. Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 20 points, while Kyle Filipowski posted 18 points and 13 rebounds. The Nuggets ended the third quarter with an 11-2 run and outscored the Jazz 25-8 at the start of the fourth.

Jazz: Coach Will Hardy expressed disappointment with his team's performance after a lackluster second half against Memphis on Monday. Utah put up a strong fight against Houston on Thursday and stayed competitive with Denver until the fourth quarter.

Nuggets: With Murray sidelined, coach Michael Malone opted for a larger starting lineup, bringing Russell Westbrook off the bench. Peyton Watson and Braun formed the starting backcourt.

Jokic made a spectacular buzzer-beater from the top of the 3-point arc, just before halftime. This follows his near full-court shot against Sacramento on January 23.

Watson's four field goals were all dunks, with three occurring within just 1:06 in the third quarter, helping Denver establish a 15-point lead. The Jazz will continue their five-game road trip against Charlotte on Monday night, while the Nuggets will host Minnesota on Tuesday night.