The NBA Western Conference leaders Denver Nuggets beat the second-ranking Memphis Grizzlies 113-97 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, on Friday, securing their third straight win and further consolidating their leading position in the conference.

Nikola Jokic dropped his 25th triple-double of this season for the Nuggets as he made seven of his 10 field goals (FGs) to score 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists. The team kept a perfect 25-0 record when Jokic generated numbers like this.

The Grizzlies continued to miss their injured starting center Steven Adams, who is one of the league's few players that can match Jokic in both size and power. They also lost Brandon Clarke at the end of the first quarter. He suffered a non-contact left leg injury and was helped off the court without putting any weight on his leg.

The losses on the Grizzlies' roster meant they were very vulnerable to someone like Jokic from the inside. However, Jokic only showed a strong intention of attacking the paint in the first quarter during which he had 10 points, six rebounds and four assists. He mainly spent the rest of the game setting up the stage for others to perform.

Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray combined to score 48 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the Nuggets. Porter Jr. shot to kill within the 3-point line where he went 6-for-7; Murray drained four triples and dominated Dillon Brooks in a series of isolation possessions by scoring 11 points and four assists in the fourth quarter.

Despite the victory, the Nuggets didn't play like themselves on offense on Friday night. They shot much lower from both the field (40-for-87, 46 percent) and at the 3-point line (8-for-31, 25.8 percent) than their season average. Reggie Jackson, Aaron Gordon and Jeff Green combined to go 0-for-10 from downtown.

The Nuggets' key highlights in Friday's game were concentrated on their defense. The Grizzlies are among the NBA's top two in producing fast break points and attacking the paint. Nonetheless, the Nuggets managed to contain them on both fronts in Friday's game, allowing only seven fast break points and 36 points in the paint by the Grizzlies.

The Nuggets only committed eight turnovers on Friday night, leaving very few chances for the opponents to launch fast break in the first place. Moreover, they worked hard to compete for offensive rebounds. Though the Nuggets only had three more than the Grizzles on the offensive glass (13-10), they already slowed them down and made time for defenders to return.

As for protecting the paint, the Nuggets don't have an elite blocker like Jaren Jackson Jr., but they do have solid defensive rotations that would often recover in time to make the opponents shoot tough floaters and mid-range jumpers instead of charging the rim directly. Ja Morant completed several good plays, but he still missed 11 of his 17 attempts in the paint.

Other games on Friday (way teams come first):

Portland Trail Blazers 111-129 Atlanta Hawks

Dejounte Murray scored career-high 41 points for the Hawks at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday, to extend the Trail Blazers' losing streak to three games. He only missed five of his 22 FGs and shot 5-for-5 behind the arc. While he scored away, Trae Young focused on playmaking to contribute a double-double of 23 points and 11 assists.

Damian Lillard drained five triples and eight free throws to score 33 points and eight assists for the Trail Blazers, but, like in many of their previous losses, he failed to receive enough support from teammates. Cam Reddish and Jerami Grant became the only two on their roster to reach double-digit points.

Brooklyn Nets 115-105 Boston Celtics

The Nets ended a four-game losing streak after five of their players scored in double digits at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, on Friday. Mikal Bridges shot 13-for-22 from the field and 4-for-6 at the 3-point line to drop 38 points and 10 rebounds. He had 15 points in the second quarter alone when his team came back with a 40-27 run.

The Celtics allowed the biggest comeback win this season at home after blowing a 28-point lead (51-23). Jaylen Brown scored 35 points for the team, but his efforts were nullified by the underperformance of Jayson Tatum. Having missed all eight triples and costing his team a game like this, Tatum may be haunted by his 25th birthday for a long time.

Phoenix Suns 125-104 Chicago Bulls

Devin Booker dropped game-high 35 points for the Suns to pocket their second consecutive win at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Friday. He had 16 and 14 points in the first and third quarters respectively for his side to outscore the opponents by double-digits during these two periods.

In his second game for the Suns, Kevin Durant made seven of his 10 FGs to score 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists. The team had more than enough firepower on Friday night and didn't need him to overload himself. Durant invested more efforts in defense, contributing one steal, one block and many more unnoticed shooting and passing deflections.

Orlando Magic 117-106 Charlotte Hornets

New York Knicks 122-120 Miami Heat

Utah Jazz 103-130 Oklahoma City Thunder

New Orleans Pelicans 99-108 Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers 127-128 Sacramento Kings

Minnesota Timberwolves 110-102 Los Angeles Lakers