DENVER (AP) 鈥� Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 17 rebounds and 15 assists in leading to a 139-120 win over Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
Jokic nearly notched a triple-double in the first half, finishing an assist shy. He secured his 144th career triple-double early in the third quarter.
Jamal Murray scored 21 points, while Russell Westbrook added 16 to go with 11 assists as the Nuggets won It started a busy 17-game month on the right note for Denver.
The Nuggets finished a perfect 21 of 21 from the free throw line. They also set a season-high in assists with 44 as they finished 2-0 against the Hawks this season. The Nuggets won in Atlanta 141-111 on Dec. 8 behind Jokic鈥檚 48-point, 14-rebound performance.
Young had 30 points and nine assists, while reserve De鈥橝ndre Hunter added 20 as Atlanta saw its four-game win streak halted.
Takeaways
Hawks: Atlanta fell to 11-11 all-time on New Year鈥檚 Day.
Nuggets: Westbrook continues to add a spark to the starting lineup with Aaron Gordon sidelined by a strained right calf. The Nuggets had seven players finish in double figures.
Key moment
The Nuggets broke open the game with a 39-14 run in the third quarter. Young was called for a technical foul during the stretch, and Hunter drew a technical for flopping.
Key stat
Young now has five or more assists in 193 straight regular season games. It鈥檚 the third-longest streak in NBA history, trailing only John Stockton (336) and Isiah Thomas (209).
Up next
Hawks visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, while Nuggets host San Antonio.
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AP NBA:
Pat Graham, The Associated Press
