nuggets 111, 76ers 105

Nikola Jokic had 26 points and 16 rebounds, but was denied his rematch with fellow MVP contender Joel Embiid on Saturday when the Denver Nuggets fended off the short-handed but gritty Philadelphia 76ers 111-105.

Philadelphia’s star center missed a game at Denver for a fourth consecutive season after the team’s medical staff determined he shouldn’t play on his balky left knee.

KNICKS 125, HEAT 109

Jalen Brunson had 32 points and eight assist and New York beat Miami, winning its sixth straight and sending the Heat to a sixth consecutive loss.

Julius Randle added 19 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks, but left with 4:27 remaining after landing hard on his right shoulder when Jaime Jaquez Jr. stepped in front of him trying to take a charge on Randle’s drive to the basket.

WIZARDS 118, PISTONS 104

Kyle Kuzma scored 30 points and Washington beat Detroit for Wizards interim coach Brian Keefe’s first victory.

Keefe lost his first game Thursday, hours after Wes Unseld Jr. was moved to the Wizards’ front office. Jordan Poole added 17 points to help Washington end a six-game losing streak.

clippers 115, celtics 96

Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points in only 29 minutes and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Boston Celtics 115-96 on Saturday night.

Paul George added 17 points for the Clippers, who used a 21-0 run in the third quarter to win their fifth straight and avenge a 37-point home loss to Boston in December. Leonard, George and the rest of Los Angeles’ starters sat the entire fourth quarter.

jazz 134, hornets 122

Lauri Markkanen had 33 points and 12 rebounds, and the Utah Jazz beat the Charlotte Hornets 134-122 on Saturday night for their 11th victory in 15 games.

Collin Sexton added 24 points and 13 assists as the Jazz (24-23) shot 56% from the field, made 17 3-pointers and built 36-point lead in the third quarter.

nets 106, rockets 104

Cam Thomas scored 37 points and the Brooklyn Nets outlasted the Houston Rockets 106-104 on Saturday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

The Nets led by 28 points in the second quarter, with the Rockets rallying in the fourth quarter to cut it to one with seven seconds left.