Nuggets start fast, beat Bucks
MILWAUKEE - One night after routing the Chicago Bulls, the Denver Nuggets used a dominant first half to earn a 110-98 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.
The Nuggets matched their season best for fewest points allowed in a half and led by as many as 29 points in the first half before taking a 63-37 advantage into the break.
Nikola Jokic scored 13 points with 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his fourth career triple-double and his second in as many games. Danilo Gallinari scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the first half and Gary Harris finished with 14 points.
The Bucks cut a 31-point third-quarter deficit to 90-77 on a jumper by Matthew Dellavedova with 8:41 to play. Milwaukee was within 98-86 before Jamal Murray ended any hopes of a comeback with a 3-pointer to make it 101-86 with 5:13 remaining.
Denver started 8 of 9 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers, to take an 18-5 lead.
Milwaukee would not pull to within single digits the rest of the way, shooting 6 for 26 (23.1 percent) in the first quarter and 15 for 49 (30.6 percent) in the first half.
One positive for the Bucks was the performance of Khris Middleton, who was playing in just his seventh game since returning from a torn left hamstring that kept him out of Milwaukee's first 50 games.
Middleton scored 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, hitting all three of his 3-point attempts.
Malcolm Brogdon added 17 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dellavedova each scored 15 points for Milwaukee, which stayed two games back of Detroit for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
NOTES: Milwaukee G Rashad Vaughn made his first start of the season as part of a starting lineup shakeup by Bucks coach Jason Kidd. Malcolm Brogdon started at point guard in place of Matthew Dellavedova. Vaughn was pulled after just five minutes and did not return. ... Denver G Jameer Nelson missed Wednesday's game due to an illness. Rookie G Jamal Murray took his place in the starting lineup ... NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was honored at halftime for receiving the Presidential Medal of Honor ... G Axel Toupane made his debut with the Bucks, going scoreless in four minutes ... Bucks F Thon Maker and Murray were high school teammates in 2015 at Orangeville Prep in Canada.