Porter ties career high with 39 points, Jokic adds 38 as Nuggets beat struggling Pelicans 144-119

DENVER (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. tied a career high with 39 points on the eve of the trade deadline, Nikola Jokic added 38 and the Denver Nuggets beat the struggling New Orleans Pelicans 144-119 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight win.

Porter finished 16 of 23 from the field, including five 3-pointers, and had 12 rebounds. His name has been mentioned in trade speculation ahead of Thursday’s deadline, but coach Michael Malone recently dismissed the notion.

Jokic added 10 assists and eight rebounds for the short-handed Nuggets, who were missing Russell Westbrook (hamstring) and Peyton Watson (knee). Aaron Gordon matched a career best with 12 assists.

Denver and New Orleans met for the second time in three nights. The Nuggets won 125-113 on Monday.

Zion Williamson finished with 28 points for the Pelicans, who lost their seventh straight game.

Pelicans: Trey Murphy III had 25 points after going for 40 and 41 in his previous two games.

Nuggets: The Nuggets had 40 assists, 37 fast-break points and 74 points in the paint. They entered the game leading the league in all three categories. ... Christian Braun had 23 points. ... Porter also had 39 points on April 24, 2021, against Houston.

Tied at 72 in the third quarter, Porter hit a running layup to give the Nuggets the lead for good. It was part of a 41-23 run to close out the quarter.

Jokic attempted a career-high 13 shots from 3-point range and made five.

The Nuggets host Orlando on Thursday, while the Pelicans are at Sacramento on Saturday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, back, brings the ball up the court as New Orleans Pelicans center Karlo Matkovic defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green, right, confers with center Yves Missi as guard CJ McCollum heads back to play in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, left, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, right, drives past New Orleans Pelicans center Karlo Matkovic in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III gestures to teammates in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins, left, pursues a loose ball with Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, front, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji, back left, and center Nikola Jokic defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., right, drives to the basket as New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Defending champion Gael Monfils lost his opening match at the ATP Tour stop in Auckland, New Zealand on Tuesday, three days after his wife Elina Svitolina won her 19th WTA Tour title on the same court.

The 39-year-old Frenchman lost 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 to 26-year-old Hungarian Fabian Marozsan at the ASB Classic in what may be the first match of his farewell season.

Monfils won the Auckland title in 2025 and told his wife Elina before her final on Sunday “if you don’t win this year I don’t know what to tell you anymore.” Svitolina and Monfils are one of only a few husband and wife teams to have held ATP and WTA singles titles in the same tournament at the same time.

Monfils started strongly in his first tournament since September, winning the first set with a break in the 11th game. He sent down 10 aces in the match. Monfils lost his first service game in the second set as Marozsan pulled off two superb winners at the net and went on to lose the set 6-3.

Monfils put up a great fight in the third set. After dropping his serve in the fifth game, he broke back immediately and tested Marozsan with his power variation. But Marozsan achieved the crucial break at 5-4 and held to take the match in exactly two hours.

“It's always special to play against Gael. He's a legend and a great player,” Marozsan said.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine stands with her husband, French tennis player Gael Monfils, after defeating Wang Xinju of China in the women's single final of the ASB Classic women's tennis tournament in Auckland, New Zealand on Sunday 11 Jan. 2026. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)