Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook help the Nuggets rout the Clippers, 126-103

DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray had 21 points and nine assists, Russell Westbrook added 19 points and eight assists and the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 126-103 on Wednesday night in a matchup of short-handed teams.

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was not available after he flew back to Los Angeles before the game to help his family deal with the wildfires.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was out for the second straight game due to an illness. Denver is 2-3 without him this season.

Norman Powell scored 30 points to finish with a 27.6 average in the Clippers' four games against the Nuggets. James Harden had 16 points and Ivica Zubac added 10.

Denver took control with a 20-3 run in the first quarter and led 55-30 late in the second before Los Angeles cut it to 16 at halftime.

The Nuggets used another spurt midway through the third quarter to put it away.

Clippers: Powell came into the night hitting 85.2% percent of his free throws but missed 3 of 6 in the third quarter. The team missed 5 of 15 in the period.

Nuggets: Coach Michael Malone made a change from Tuesday night by starting DeAndre Jordan in Jokic’s place and bringing Dario Saric off the bench. Jordan finished with a season-high 12 points and tied his season high with nine rebounds.

Jordan had a big third quarter. He made two free throws, threw down two alley-oops and tipped in a feed from Westbrook that helped the lead grow from 16 to 27.

The Nuggets improved to 8-0 on the second leg of back-to-backs. They are 2-6 in the first game of a set.

The Clippers return home to play Charlotte on Saturday night. The Nuggets host Brooklyn on Friday night.

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

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, left, confers with head coach Tyronn Lue in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther, right, drives the lane as Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, center, drives the baseline as Los Angeles Clippers guards Kevin Porter Jr., left, and James Harden defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook, front, drives to the basket as Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum, left, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum, left, reacts as Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther collides with Batum while pursuing a loose ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, right, shoots over Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, pulls in a rebound as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook reacts after making a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, left, and Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn pursue a loose ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — World champions Ilia Malinin and the ice dance duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates will anchor one of the strongest U.S. Figure Skating teams in history when they head to Italy for the Milan Cortina Olympics in less than a month.

Malinin, fresh off his fourth straight national title, will be the prohibitive favorite to follow in the footsteps of Nathan Chen by delivering another men's gold medal for the American squad when he steps on the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Chock and Bates, who won their record-setting seventh U.S. title Saturday night, also will be among the Olympic favorites, as will world champion Alysa Liu and women's teammate Amber Glenn, fresh off her third consecutive national title.

U.S. Figure Skating announced its full squad of 16 athletes for the Winter Games during a made-for-TV celebration Sunday.

"I'm just so excited for the Olympic spirit, the Olympic environment," Malinin said. “Hopefully go for that Olympic gold.”

Malinin will be joined on the men's side by Andrew Torgashev, the all-or-nothing 24-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida, and Maxim Naumov, the 24-year-old from Simsbury, Connecticut, who fulfilled the hopes of his late parents by making the Olympic team.

Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were returning from a talent camp in Kansas when their American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the icy Potomac River in January 2025. One of the last conversations they had with their son was about what it would take for him to follow in their footsteps by becoming an Olympian.

“We absolutely did it,” Naumov said. “Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our family. It's what I've been thinking about since I was 5 years old, before I even know what to think. I can't put this into words.”

Chock and Bates helped the Americans win team gold at the Beijing Games four years ago, but they finished fourth — one spot out of the medals — in the ice dance competition. They have hardly finished anywhere but first in the years since, winning three consecutive world championships and the gold medal at three straight Grand Prix Finals.

U.S. silver medalists Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik also made the dance team, as did the Canadian-born Christina Carreira, who became eligible for the Olympics in November when her American citizenship came through, and Anthony Ponomarenko.

Liu was picked for her second Olympic team after briefly retiring following the Beijing Games. She had been burned out by years of practice and competing, but stepping away seemed to rejuvenate the 20-year-old from Clovis, California, and she returned to win the first world title by an American since Kimmie Meissner stood atop the podium two decades ago.

Now, the avant-garde Liu will be trying to help the U.S. win its first women's medal since Sasha Cohen in Turin in 2006, and perhaps the first gold medal since Sarah Hughes triumphed four years earlier at the Salt Lake City Games.

Her biggest competition, besides a powerful Japanese contingent, could come from her own teammates: Glenn, a first-time Olympian, has been nearly unbeatable the past two years, while 18-year-old Isabeau Levito is a former world silver medalist.

"This was my goal and my dream and it just feels so special that it came true,” said Levito, whose mother is originally from Milan.

The two pairs spots went to Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, the U.S. silver medalists, and the team of Emily Chan and Spencer Howe.

The top American pairs team, two-time reigning U.S. champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, were hoping that the Finnish-born Efimova would get her citizenship approved in time to compete in Italy. But despite efforts by the Skating Club of Boston, where they train, and the help of their U.S. senators, she did not receive her passport by the selection deadline.

“The importance and magnitude of selecting an Olympic team is one of the most important milestones in an athlete's life,” U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell said, "and it has such an impact, and while there are sometimes rules, there is also a human element to this that we really have to take into account as we make decisions and what's best going forward from a selection process.

“Sometimes these aren't easy," Farrell said, “and this is not the fun part.”

The fun is just beginning, though, for the 16 athletes picked for the powerful American team.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Amber Glenn competes during the women's free skating competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Alysa Liu skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Maxim Naumov skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Madison Chock and Evan Bates skate during the "Making the Team" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Gold medalist Ilia Malinin arrives for the metal ceremony after the men's free skate competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)