Sloppy in the closing stretch once again, the Nuggets managed to survive a late comeback on Wednesday night at Ball Arena and head into the All-Star break with a 122–116 victory over the Grizzlies.
Nikola Jokić recorded his 20th triple-double of the season (fourth in a row) with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, although he was also responsible for nine turnovers, two days after committing seven in a loss to Cleveland.
The Nuggets (35–20) received balanced production across the roster. Jamal Murray scored 23 points, adding six rebounds and seven assists.
After he and Jokić were honored before the game as NBA All-Stars in a brief ceremony with co-general manager Ben Tenzer, Murray sank two free throws with 12 seconds remaining to secure the win.
Former Nuggets starter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope missed a potential game-tying three-pointer moments earlier, hitting the back rim.
Nikola Jokić notches his 4th straight TRIPLE-DOUBLE!
— NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2026
🃏 26 PTS
🃏 15 REB
🃏 11 AST @nuggets win at home 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rOeeNDKnhZ
Christian Braun added 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. shot 7-of-8 off the bench for 21 points and finished the game on the floor for the second time this week. Head coach David Adelman opted to ride the “hot hand” during a quiet night from Cam Johnson.
Nikola Jokić posted 26 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists in 34 minutes on the court, shooting 8-of-17 from the field with no three-point attempts. He made 10 of 14 free throws, grabbed five offensive and 10 defensive rebounds, but also committed nine turnovers.
Adelman on Spencer Jones’ Contract Situation
The Nuggets entered the All-Star break without converting Spencer Jones’ two-way contract into a standard deal, and the delay has been partly caused by the concussion Jones suffered last week in New York, Adelman acknowledged on Wednesday.
Jones’ salary and cap impact will be prorated for the remainder of the season from the day he signs, meaning the longer Denver’s front office waits to finalize the deal, the more money the Nuggets will have below the luxury tax line to add someone else to fill their 15th roster spot.
The 24-year-old forward is ineligible to play until his contract is converted. But before Wednesday’s game, Adelman said Jones is “still nearing the end of the concussion protocol.” The injury occurred seven days earlier. Jones sat at the end of the home bench in street clothes as Denver started Cam Johnson at power forward and continued to rely on four-guard lineups.
“Negotiations are obviously being slowed down by the concussion,” Adelman said.
“So I’m being kept updated on the negotiations by Ben (Tenzer) and Jon (Wallace), but right now they’re moving slowly. The concussion issue is real. We’ll probably have more information after the break. Right now I think the most important thing is that he recovers, and then Ben, Jon, his agency and his representatives can talk.”
The Nuggets may carry 13 players on the active roster until February 19, after trading Hunter Tyson on February 5 in a salary-clearing move. With that in mind, a league source familiar with the situation told The Denver Post that it is unlikely the contract will be finalized before everyone returns to the city after the break.
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Source: Sportal Foto: Melissa Tamez / Zuma Press / Profimedia