Nuggets Erase 23-Point Deficit to Beat Pelicans 141-135 in Overtime

Denver rallied from 23 points down to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 141-135 in overtime on Saturday night, in the Nuggets' home opener.

The comeback was a long way off at halftime. Denver trailed 73-57 at the break, and New Orleans had shot 65.9% in the first half. Some fans in the home crowd booed the Nuggets as they walked off. Denver did not fold.

Nikola Jokic led the way with 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. That is a triple-double, a game with at least 10 in three stat categories. It was his 199th regular-season triple-double, and he scored eight of his points in overtime, according to The Guardian. Russell Westbrook retired with 209, the most in NBA history, so Jokic remains behind him on that list.

Jamal Murray was just as hot, scoring 42 points for Denver. The biggest shot of the extra period belonged to rookie Trevon Brazille. He finished with 17 points, seven of them in overtime, in his first home game for the Nuggets. His three-pointer from the corner with 1:25 left gave Denver a 133-129 lead, and the Pelicans never caught up.

New Orleans had plenty of scoring of its own. Trey Murphy III led all players with 26 points. Dejounte Murray added 22, and Derik Queen and Zion Williamson each had 17. The loss came after the Pelicans had already dropped their first three games under first-year coach Jamahl Mosley.

Denver played without Cam Johnson, who is dealing with an ankle injury, and Alpha Diallo, who has a sprained wrist. Julian Strawther and Spencer Jones also remained out.

Jokic had a pointed message after the game. He said fans who booed the team during the first home game do not need to come back, and that they are no longer welcome. He did not say how many fans he meant, and the crowd's reaction was limited to certain sections of the arena.

For Denver, the result is a reminder of how a deficit can disappear in a single quarter of basketball. The Nuggets trailed by 16 at the half and still needed overtime to finish the job. For New Orleans, the 65.9% first-half shooting was not enough to hold a lead that once reached 23 points.

The Nuggets' full schedule and team updates are available on the team's website.