DENVER _ Nikola Jokic scored 19 points and the Denver Nuggets beat the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers, 123-98, on Saturday night.
Danilo Gallinari, Will Barton and Wilson Chandler added 18 points apiece for the Nuggets, who have won four of their last five games.
The Clippers have lost two in a row since opening January with seven consecutive wins. They fell to 2-7 this season when they have been without both Chris Paul (thumb injury) and Blake Griffin (right knee).
Marreese Speights had 18 points to lead the Clippers. Austin Rivers added 16 points and DeAndre Jordan finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Denver, which never trailed, led by as many as 17 points in the first half and was up 59-45 at the break. Kenneth Faried had 11 of his 13 points by halftime.
The Clippers cut their deficit to eight points, 61-53, on a layup by Rivers early in the third quarter but the Nuggets outscored the Clippers, 34-18, during the rest of the period. Gallinari capped the surge with a three-pointer as the period ended, allowing the Nuggets to take a 95-71 lead into the fourth quarter.
Chandler then scored seven straight points for the Nuggets, including a three-pointer as Denver stretched its lead to 29 points in the opening minutes of the final period to put the game out of reach.
