Jokic's 26 Points and 10 Assists Lift Nuggets Past Pelicans 116-108 in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS — Nikola Jokic did what Nikola Jokic does. The Denver Nuggets star scored 26 points, handed out 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds on Saturday night, November 14, 2026, to lead the visiting Nuggets to a 116-108 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Denver won despite shooting just 25 percent from three-point range, making only four of 16 attempts. The Nuggets attacked the paint instead and leaned on a balanced attack in which five players reached double figures. The win was Denver’s fourth in five outings and lifted the Nuggets to 7-4, while the Pelicans fell to 4-10 with a sixth straight defeat.

Key Points

• Nikola Jokic finished with 26 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, two boards short of another triple-double.
• Jamal Murray added 23 points and nine assists, while Christian Braun scored 17 as Denver won despite shooting 4-for-16 from three.
• Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 24 points, but New Orleans lost its sixth straight game and dropped to 4-10.
• The Nuggets improved to 7-4 and have won four of their last five games, keeping pace near the top of the West.
• Saturday’s result came on a busy NBA night that also saw Miami and Chicago win.

What Happened

Denver arrived in New Orleans looking to keep a strong run going, and the Nuggets did exactly that, even if the box score told an unusual story. A team that normally leans on its outside shooting went cold from deep, yet still put up 116 points behind Jokic and a supporting cast that scored inside the arc.

Jokic controlled the game from the opening minutes. The three-time Most Valuable Player scored efficiently, set up teammates with his trademark passing from the post and the elbow, and finished just two rebounds shy of a triple-double. His 10 assists were the engine of Denver’s offence: every time New Orleans collapsed on him, the ball moved to an open cutter, and every time the Pelicans stayed home on the shooters, Jokic went to work himself.

Murray was the perfect partner, scoring 23 points with nine assists, while Braun added 17, Cameron Johnson chipped in 12 and Aaron Gordon finished with 11. The Pelicans did not go quietly: Williamson led the home side with 24 points, Saddiq Bey added 16, Jordan Poole scored 14, and Jeremiah Fears and Jaron Pierre Jr. each had 13. Herbert Jones and Derik Queen scored 10 apiece, giving New Orleans seven players in double figures — but it was not enough.

Background and Context

The Nuggets came into Saturday night as one of the Western Conference’s early-season form teams. Denver, the 2023 NBA champions, have built their entire identity around Jokic, the Serbian centre who has won the league’s Most Valuable Player award three times and remains the sport’s most complete offensive player. Around him, the Nuggets have kept a core of Murray, Gordon and Braun, a group that knows each other’s movements by heart after years together.

Denver’s offence depends on Jokic reading the defence and making the right decision, over and over again. New Orleans, by contrast, arrived in a very different place. The Pelicans have been one of the league’s most frustrating teams, a roster full of talent too often undone by injuries and inconsistency, and Saturday’s defeat was their sixth in a row.

Nuggets Beat Pelicans 116-108 Behind Jokic’s All-Round Night

The headline numbers belong to Jokic, and they deserve a closer look. Twenty-six points, 10 assists and eight rebounds is the kind of line most players would call a career night; for Jokic, it is close to routine. What made it impressive was the context: Denver shot 25 percent from three, the kind of number that usually spells defeat on the road, and Jokic still bent the game to his will.

His passing was the difference. Ten assists from a centre is a statement in itself, but the assists only tell part of the story. Jokic’s presence draws two defenders, and his passing punishes the help before it can recover. Murray’s nine assists meant Denver’s two best players combined for 19. For New Orleans, the night belonged to Williamson, but a team with seven players in double figures that still loses by eight at home must find more from its defence in the closing minutes.

Reactions

The numbers tell a clear story about where the two teams stand. Denver has won four of its last five games, and the Nuggets did it on a night when their three-point shooting deserted them — the kind of win coaches value more than a blowout. For the Pelicans, six straight defeats is a worrying run, but the balanced scoring suggests a team not far from a complete performance.

Around the league, Saturday was a reminder of how crowded the early-season picture is. The Miami Heat beat the Detroit Pistons 137-117 behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 34 points, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-106 to end Minnesota’s five-game winning streak.

Why It Matters

The win matters for Denver because of how it was achieved. A team that can win when its three-point shot is not falling is a team that can win in the play-offs, when defences tighten and the easy looks disappear. Jokic’s ability to generate good shots for himself and others, whatever the defence does, is the Nuggets’ safety net. At 7-4, Denver is keeping pace in a Western Conference where every win in November counts double by April.

For New Orleans, the loss matters because losing streaks feed on themselves. At 4-10 the Pelicans are not out of anything, but six straight defeats tests a locker room, and they need a win soon.

What Happens Next

Denver will look to carry the momentum forward, with the Nuggets’ next games offering a chance to build on a 7-4 start and keep pressure on the teams above them in the West. The formula is clear: Jokic at the centre of everything, Murray as the second creator, and a supporting cast that scores when the defence turns to the stars.

New Orleans faces a more urgent task: turning competitive performances into victories, starting with better defence in the closing minutes. The talent is there, but talent without wins gets old fast. The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Dallas Mavericks 127-117 on Saturday in another busy night around the league; for Denver the direction is up, while for New Orleans the next few games will say a lot about whether this is a blip or a longer struggle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score between the Nuggets and the Pelicans?
Denver won 116-108 on Saturday, November 14, 2026, in New Orleans.

How many points did Nikola Jokic score?
26 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds — two boards short of a triple-double.

Who else scored for Denver?
Murray scored 23 points with nine assists, Braun had 17, Johnson scored 12 and Gordon finished with 11.

Who led the Pelicans in scoring?
Zion Williamson with 24 points. Saddiq Bey added 16 and Jordan Poole had 14.

What are the teams’ records after the game?
Denver is 7-4; New Orleans is 4-10 after a sixth straight defeat.