DENVER — Center Nikola Jokic had a career night with 27 points and 14 rebounds and the Denver Nuggets snapped Toronto’s 11-game winning streak with a 112-93 win over the Raptors on Monday night.
Jokic, a rookie, set season highs in points and rebounds.
Nuggets guard Will Barton scored 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter as Denver pulled away for an easy win.
Guard DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points for the Raptors, who suffered their first loss since falling at Cleveland on Jan. 4.
The 11-game winning streak was a franchise record for Toronto. The Raptors won four in a row on the road and then swept a seven-game homestand that concluded on Saturday.
Monday’s win was the second time the Nuggets snapped a streak by beating the Raptors. They had lost eight in a row before winning in Toronto on Dec. 3.
The game was tied at 28 at the end of the first quarter, but Denver took control by outscoring the Raptors 32-21 in the second. The Nuggets shot 54 percent in the first half to take a 60-49 lead into the locker room. Jokic nearly had a double-double by intermission with 15 points and seven rebounds in just 15 minutes.
Jokic scored eight points in the final 4:25 of the third quarter to help the Nuggets expand the lead to 80-65 going into the fourth.
Any hopes of a Raptors comeback ended in the first few minutes of the final quarter. Barton scored the first eight points of the fourth to make the score 88-65, and guard Randy Foye, who had 16 points, hit two 3-pointers to make it 97-70.
Raptors forward James Johnson left the game in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle and did not return. Johnson was hurt on a collision with Denver forward Danilo Gallinari near halfcourt with 3:27 left in the first half. He left the court with assistance.
NOTES: Raptors coach Dwane Casey was selected the Eastern Conference coach of the month. Casey guided Toronto to a 12-2 mark in January, which included an 11-game winning streak to end the month. “It’s a great honor for the coaching staff,” Casey said. “It’s a compliment to the 15 (players) in the room.” … Nuggets G Jameer Nelson was out with a sore left wrist. Nelson missed six games after sustaining the injury against Miami on Jan. 15. He returned Thursday at Washington but aggravated the ailment in the overtime loss at Indiana on Saturday. … Because of the All-Star break and the current five-game road trip, Toronto will not play at home again until Feb. 21. … Denver C Joffrey Lauvergne was active despite nursing a sore right toe.