Jokic scores 32 points and the Nuggets rout the Suns 117-90

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic scored 13 of his 32 points in a decisive third quarter, and the Denver Nuggets routed the scuffling Phoenix Suns 117-90 on Monday night.

Michael Porter Jr. had 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting for Denver, which played without guard Jamal Murray (sprained left ankle). The Nuggets have won four of five and they handed Phoenix its third straight loss.

The Suns were missing guards Devin Booker (left groin) and Grayson Allen (concussion protocol). They struggled to find scoring outside of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, both of whom had 23 points.

Denver led by four at halftime and outscored Phoenix 45-28 in the third. Jokic, Porter and Russell Westbrook combined to shoot 13 of 17 from the field in the period, and the team was 18 of 28.

The Suns missed eight of their first 12 shots in the third and trailed by 24.

Suns: Jusuf Nurkic has had success guarding Jokic but got into quick foul trouble against his former teammate. Nurkic had four fouls and played just 9:15 in the first half and was ineffective.

Nuggets: With Murray out, coach Michael Malone dipped deeper into his bench and gave little-used guard Jalen Pickett minutes. Pickett scored a career-high 11 points and played 22 minutes after logging a total of 41 in the first 26 games.

Phoenix scored eight straight points to cut into a 24-point deficit before Jokic was fouled on a layup. He missed the free throw, but the Nuggets grabbed the rebound and Hunter Tyson hit a corner 3-pointer to give Denver a 100-79 lead heading into the fourth.

The Nuggets are 4-0 on the second night of back-to-back games.

The teams meet again on Christmas night in Phoenix.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook, right, drives to the basket as Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, right, pursues the ball with Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., center left, drives to the basket as, from back left to right, Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal, center Mason Plumlee and forward Ryan Dunn defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) loses control of a pass while driving to the basket as Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., right, looks to pass the ball as Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) covers in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, front, blocks a shot by Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, right, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, right, drives past Phoenix Suns guard Tyus Jones in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, goes up for a basket as Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. flu infections showed signs of a slight decline last week, but health officials say it is not clear that this severe flu season has peaked.

New government data posted Friday — for flu activity through last week — showed declines in medical office visits due to flu-like illness and in the number of states reporting high flu activity.

However, some measures show this season is already surpassing the flu epidemic of last winter, one of the harshest in recent history. And experts believe there is more suffering ahead.

“This is going to be a long, hard flu season,” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, in a statement Friday.

One type of flu virus, called A H3N2, historically has caused the most hospitalizations and deaths in older people. So far this season, that is the type most frequently reported. Even more concerning, more than 91% of the H3N2 infections analyzed were a new version — known as the subclade K variant — that differs from the strain in this year’s flu shots.

The last flu season saw the highest overall flu hospitalization rate since the H1N1 flu pandemic 15 years ago. And child flu deaths reached 289, the worst recorded for any U.S. flu season this century — including that H1N1 “swine flu” pandemic of 2009-2010.

So far this season, there have been at least 15 million flu illnesses and 180,000 hospitalizations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. It also estimates there have been 7,400 deaths, including the deaths of at least 17 children.

Last week, 44 states reported high flu activity, down slightly from the week before. However, flu deaths and hospitalizations rose.

Determining exactly how flu season is going can be particularly tricky around the holidays. Schools are closed, and many people are traveling. Some people may be less likely to see a doctor, deciding to just suffer at home. Others may be more likely to go.

Also, some seasons see a surge in cases, then a decline, and then a second surge.

For years, federal health officials joined doctors' groups in recommending that everyone 6 months and older get an annual influenza vaccine. The shots may not prevent all symptoms but can prevent many infections from becoming severe, experts say.

But federal health officials on Monday announced they will no longer recommend flu vaccinations for U.S. children, saying it is a decision parents and patients should make in consultation with their doctors.

“I can’t begin to express how concerned we are about the future health of the children in this country, who already have been unnecessarily dying from the flu — a vaccine preventable disease,” said Michele Slafkosky, executive director of an advocacy organization called Families Fighting Flu.

“Now, with added confusion for parents and health care providers about childhood vaccines, I fear that flu seasons to come could be even more deadly for our youngest and most vulnerable," she said in a statement.

Flu is just one of a group of viruses that tend to strike more often in the winter. Hospitalizations from COVID-19 and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, also have been rising in recent weeks — though were not diagnosed nearly as often as flu infections, according to other federal data.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

FILE - Pharmacy manager Aylen Amestoy administers a patient with a seasonal flu vaccine at a CVS Pharmacy in Miami, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)