Jokic stars as Nuggets beat Celtics

Nikola Jokic starred as reigning NBA champions the Denver Nuggets beat Eastern Conference leaders the Boston Celtics 115-109.

Jokic scored 32 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for his 20th triple-double of the season.

The in-form Nuggets have won seven out of eight matches since the break for the NBA All-Star game last month.

Jaylen Brown scored 41 points for Boston, who suffered back-to-back losses for just the second time this season.

The Celtics remain on top of the Eastern Conference despite the defeat. Denver is third in the West, one game behind leaders the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jokic played down suggestions the match between two of the league’s leading sides could be a preview of the NBA finals later this year.

“We’re a long way from the finals, my friend,” he said.

“We had a really good energy tonight. Our offence was really clicking today.”

Elsewhere, Luka Doncic finished with 35 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat 114-108.

Kyrie Irving scored 23 points while four other players made double figures as the Mavericks ended a three-game losing streak.

The Minnesota Timberwolves edged to a 113-111 win over the Indiana Pacers in a see-saw match in which the lead changed hands 17 times.

Anthony Edwards top-scored with 44 points, including a 25ft three-pointer to give the Timberwolves a 108-105 lead with one minute, 11 seconds remaining.

DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic both scored 33 points as the Chicago Bulls held off a late rally from the Golden State Warriors to win 125-122.

Klay Thompson’s 28ft three-pointer gave the Warriors a 119-118 lead with 40 seconds remaining, but DeRozan scored with a pull-up from 17 feet to put the Bulls back in front.

Kevin Durant scored 35 points as the Phoenix Suns secured a second straight win with a wire-to-wire 120-113 victory over the Toronto Raptors.