Jokić says booing fans 'not welcome' after Nuggets rally from 23 down to beat Pelicans 141-135 in OT

Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets recovered from a 23-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 141-135 in overtime at their first home game on Saturday night. After the comeback, Jokić said the fans who had booed at half-time "don’t need to come anymore."

Jokić scored eight of his 35 points in overtime and finished with 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Sections of the Nuggets home crowd booed the team when they went into half-time 73-57 down. “We got booed at our first home game, and I think those fans who booed us, they don’t need to come anymore,” Jokić said. “If you guys follow us, you know that we never quit and we’ve come back from much worse situations. So, if they ask me, they are not welcome anymore.”

Jamal Murray led Denver with 42 points. Rookie Trevon Brazille scored 17 in his home debut for Denver, including seven in overtime, and his corner three-pointer with 1:25 left in overtime gave the Nuggets a 133-129 lead.

Denver were short-handed for the game, playing without Cam Johnson (ankle) and Alpha Diallo (sprained wrist) and continuing to be without Julian Strawther and Spencer Jones. Aaron Gordon contributed a reverse dunk during Denver’s comeback.

New Orleans shot 65.9% in the first half and held a 23-point advantage early. Denver rallied to cut the margin to 16; Jokić and Murray combined for 22 of the Nuggets’ 32 third-quarter points, but the Pelicans still entered the fourth leading by 19.

Denver erased the remaining deficit with three-pointers from Murray and Jokić, then had a chance to go ahead with 17 seconds left in regulation before Murray made two of three free throws to tie the game and force overtime. The contest finished 141-135 in favor of Denver after the extra period.

Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 26 points, Dejounte Murray scored 22 and Derik Queen and Zion Williamson had 17 apiece. Jokić had his 199th career triple-double in the regular season, second to Russell Westbrook, who retired with 209.

The Pelicans have dropped their first three games under first-year coach Jamahl Mosley.