Nuggets hang on against Pacers despite Nikola Jokic's late ejection

The Nuggets can heat up in an instant. They looked sluggish to start Saturday’s game against the Indiana Pacers and got down by as many as 18 in the second quarter. But as halftime approached, they ripped off a 15-2 run in a 3-minute, 16-second span. That stretch allowed them to claw back into the game, and they defeated the Pacers 102-100.

Nikola Jokic, quiet until the fourth quarter Thursday against Dallas, came out firing. He scored 16 points in the first quarter alone and finished with 26 on 11-of-21 shooting. He dominated the matchup against Pacers center Myles Turner, though his his night came to an abrupt end when referee Tony Brothers ejected him with 2:56 remaining. Brothers hit him with double technical fouls after Jokic vehemently protested what he though was a hold.

The Nuggets were up seven when Jokic got tossed. With 24.7 seconds to go, the Pacers had tied it. Paul Millsap hit the go-ahead basket with 7 seconds left, a driving left-handed layup. Bojan Bogdanovic’s potential game-winner lipped off the rim, and Denver hung on.

In the end, Denver overcame an iffy whistle and a red-hot start from Indiana. The Pacers shot 62.2 percent in the first half. They cooled off considerably after halftime, though, with just 15 points in the third and 25 in the fourth.

The Nuggets went undefeated on their three-game homestand. They’re now 46-22. They’ll clinch a playoff spot if the Kings lose Sunday or if they beat the Celtics on Monday. Their next four games — against Boston, Washington, New York and Indiana — are all on the road.