DENVER -- — Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds to become the career assists leader among centers, and the streaking Denver Nuggets beat the Orlando Magic 126-115 on Thursday night.

Jokic, who has 13 triple-doubles this season, entered Thursday six assists behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who had 5,660. Jokic passed him with 6:26 left in the first half when he fed Jalen Pickett for a 3-pointer.

Jamal Murray scored 20 of his 32 points in a game-turning second quarter for Denver, which won its sixth straight.

Paolo Banchero had 26 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists for his third career triple-double and first since March 20, 2024.

The Magic, already missing leading scorer Franz Wagner due to a sprained left ankle, played without Jalen Suggs, who sustained a left hip contusion in the NBA Cup semifinal loss to New York on Saturday night.

Wendell Carter Jr. also scored 26 points for Orlando.

Murray, who has never been named to an All-Star team in his eight seasons, is averaging a career-best 25.2 points this season and 28.1 in December, which includes a 52-point game at Indiana two weeks ago.

He made 5 of 6 3-point attempts in the second quarter after the Nuggets fell behind by 14.

Denver had 33 total points midway through the period and went on a 35-7 run in the final 6:26 of the half to turn a 47-33 deficit into a 68-54 halftime lead.

It was 81-60 a few minutes into the third quarter before Orlando rallied to cut it to 92-83. Cam Johnson, who finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, hit a 3-pointer out of a timeout that spurred another Nuggets surge.

The Magic got within 121-115 with 1:32 remaining but Johnson hit a corner 3-pointer to seal it.

Up next

Mavericks: At Utah on Saturday night.

Nuggets: Host the Houston Rockets for the second time in six days on Saturday afternoon.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Wendell Carter Jr. vs. Nikola Jokic	0	0
11:47	Anthony Black steps out of bounds turnover	0	0
11:35	Jamal Murray misses 26-foot three point jumper	0	0
11:33	Paolo Banchero defensive rebound	0	0
11:27	Nikola Jokic personal foul	0	0
11:23	Wendell Carter Jr. makes 24-foot three point jumper (Tyus Jones assists)	0	3
11:14	Bruce Brown makes 3-foot layup (Nikola Jokic assists)	2	3
11:07	Desmond Bane makes driving layup	2	5
10:50	Nikola Jokic bad pass turnover (Paolo Banchero steals)	2	5
10:33	Anthony Black makes 25-foot three point jumper (Tyus Jones assists)	2	8
10:15	Nikola Jokic makes driving layup	4	8
10:15	Wendell Carter Jr. shooting foul	4	8
10:15	Nikola Jokic misses free throw 1 of 1	4	8
10:13	Wendell Carter Jr. defensive rebound	4	8
9:57	Paolo Banchero makes two point shot (Tyus Jones assists)	4	10
9:47	Nikola Jokic misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	4	10
9:44	Paolo Banchero defensive rebound	4	10
9:40	Cameron Johnson blocks Anthony Black 's 2-foot running layup	4	10
9:37	Cameron Johnson defensive rebound	4	10
9:33	Nikola Jokic makes 2-foot running dunk (Bruce Brown assists)	6	10
9:16	Wendell Carter Jr. misses 22-foot three point jumper	6	10
9:15	Nuggets defensive team rebound	6	10
8:56	Nikola Jokic misses layup	6	10
8:51	Nikola Jokic offensive rebound	6	10
8:51	Nikola Jokic makes tip shot	8	10
8:41	Desmond Bane misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	8	10
8:39	Paolo Banchero offensive rebound	8	10
8:36	Desmond Bane misses 25-foot fade away jump shot	8	10
8:33	Cameron Johnson defensive rebound	8	10
8:27	Nikola Jokic misses running pullup jump shot	8	10
8:24	Paolo Banchero defensive rebound	8	10
8:17	Anthony Black makes driving layup (Desmond Bane assists)	8	12
8:11	Desmond Bane personal foul	8	12
8:09	Wendell Carter Jr. personal foul	8	12
8:09	Jett Howard enters the game for Desmond Bane	8	12
7:59	Cameron Johnson makes 18-foot pullup jump shot (Nikola Jokic assists)	10	12
7:39	Anthony Black bad pass turnover (Spencer Jones steals)	10	12
7:36	Spencer Jones makes running dunk (Cameron Johnson assists)	12	12
7:21	Jett Howard misses 24-foot three point jumper	12	12
7:18	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	12	12
7:10	Nikola Jokic misses two point shot	12	12
7:08	Paolo Banchero defensive rebound	12	12
7:06	Spencer Jones shooting foul	12	12
7:06	Paolo Banchero makes free throw 1 of 2	12	13
7:06	Paolo Banchero makes free throw 2 of 2	12	14
6:51	Cameron Johnson misses 24-foot three point jumper	12	14
6:46	Jett Howard defensive rebound	12	14
6:41	Spencer Jones shooting foul	12	14
6:41	Nuggets Full timeout	12	14
6:41	Tim Hardaway Jr. enters the game for Cameron Johnson	12	14
6:41	Goga Bitadze enters the game for Wendell Carter Jr.	12	14
6:41	Paolo Banchero misses free throw 1 of 2	12	14
6:41	Magic offensive team rebound	12	14
6:41	Paolo Banchero makes free throw 2 of 2	12	15
6:31	Spencer Jones misses 25-foot three point jumper	12	15
6:27	Jett Howard defensive rebound	12	15
6:13	Jett Howard makes 1-foot two point shot (Tyus Jones assists)	12	17
5:55	Bruce Brown out of bounds bad pass turnover	12	17
5:55	Julian Strawther enters the game for Spencer Jones	12	17
5:43	Tyus Jones makes 25-foot three point jumper (Anthony Black assists)	12	20
5:27	Julian Strawther makes driving layup (Nikola Jokic assists)	14	20
5:27	Nuggets delay of game violation	14	20
5:09	Anthony Black makes 22-foot three point jumper (Paolo Banchero assists)	14	23
5:01	Desmond Bane enters the game for Paolo Banchero	14	23
5:01	Noah Penda enters the game for Jett Howard	14	23
4:50	Jase Richardson enters the game for Tyus Jones	14	23
4:41	Jamal Murray makes 26-foot three pointer	17	23
4:32	Desmond Bane makes 3-foot two point shot	17	25
4:21	Jamal Murray bad pass turnover (Goga Bitadze steals)	17	25
4:19	Goga Bitadze makes 2-foot driving dunk	17	27
4:19	Nuggets Full timeout	17	27
4:19	(04:19) [Magic] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL REPLAYCENTER)	17	27
4:03	Nikola Jokic traveling turnover	17	27
3:49	Anthony Black makes 6-foot two point shot	17	29
3:37	Bruce Brown makes 2-foot reverse layup (Nikola Jokic assists)	19	29
3:22	Jase Richardson misses 24-foot three point jumper	19	29
3:17	Noah Penda offensive rebound	19	29
3:04	shot clock turnover	19	29
3:04	Jonas Valanciunas enters the game for Bruce Brown	19	29
2:56	Anthony Black kicked ball violation	19	29
2:44	Goga Bitadze blocks Jonas Valanciunas's two point shot	19	29
2:42	Desmond Bane defensive rebound	19	29
2:30	Jase Richardson misses two point shot	19	29
2:27	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	19	29
2:23	Jamal Murray misses 22-foot running jump shot	19	29
2:20	Noah Penda defensive rebound	19	29
2:15	Desmond Bane misses two point shot	19	29
2:15	Nuggets defensive team rebound	19	29
2:15	Goga Bitadze loose ball foul	19	29
2:01	Nikola Jokic makes finger roll layup	21	29
1:47	Desmond Bane misses two point shot	21	29
1:45	Goga Bitadze offensive rebound	21	29
1:44	Anthony Black misses 25-foot three point jumper	21	29
1:42	Nuggets defensive team rebound	21	29
1:42	Cameron Johnson enters the game for Jamal Murray	21	29
1:42	Jett Howard enters the game for Anthony Black	21	29
1:27	Jonas Valanciunas makes layup (Nikola Jokic assists)	23	29
1:27	Jett Howard shooting foul	23	29
1:27	Jonas Valanciunas misses free throw 1 of 1	23	29
1:24	Noah Penda defensive rebound	23	29
1:14	Noah Penda makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jase Richardson assists)	23	32
1:01	Cameron Johnson makes 12-foot two point shot (Nikola Jokic assists)	25	32
49.3	Jase Richardson bad pass turnover (Jonas Valanciunas steals)	25	32
45.4	Nikola Jokic lost ball turnover (Noah Penda steals)	25	32
42.3	Jase Richardson offensive foul	25	32
42.3	Jase Richardson offensive foul turnover	25	32
30.5	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 25-foot three point jumper	25	32
26.3	Noah Penda defensive rebound	25	32
5.9	Jonas Valanciunas blocks Noah Penda 's 4-foot driving layup	25	32
5.9	Nuggets defensive team rebound	25	32
5.9	Jamal Murray enters the game for Jonas Valanciunas	25	32
5.9	Anthony Black enters the game for Jase Richardson	25	32
1.4	Jamal Murray misses 35-foot three point pullup jump shot	25	32
1.4	Nuggets offensive team rebound	25	32
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	25	32

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Ball Arena

Denver, CO

Date & Time

2:00 AM, December 19, 2025

Coverage

FanDuel SN FL, KTVD-TV (My20), NBA League Pass

Attendance

19,731

Referees

Bill Kennedy, Josh Tiven, Che Flores

2025-26 Southeast Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Miami	35	29	.547	W4
Orlando	33	28	.541	W2
Atlanta	32	31	.508	W5
Charlotte	32	32	.500	L1
Washington	16	46	.258	L7

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	49	15	.766	W4
Minnesota	40	23	.635	W5
Denver	39	25	.609	L1
Portland	30	34	.469	L1
Utah	19	44	.302	W1

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Jokic sets the career record for assists by a center as the Nuggets beat the Magic 126-115

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