<p>DENVER — Nikola Jokic had 19 points and 11 rebounds in just three quarters to lead the Denver Nuggets past the Toronto Raptors 121-111 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Michael Porter Jr. scored 23 points for the Nuggets, who had seven players score in double figures and used a 31-8 run over the third and fourth quarters to win their fourth straight.</p>
<p>Denver improved to 8-1 since Jamal Murray went down with a torn ACL in his left knee on April 12. The Nuggets also lost guards Monte Morris and Will Barton to hamstring injuries, but both are expected to return this season.</p>
<p>Without its starting backcourt, Denver has relied on reserves Facu Campazzo, P.J. Dozier and Shaquille Harrison, a two-way player getting a chance to make an impact. He did Thursday with a season-high 11 points, and Campazzo followed up his first double-double on Wednesday night with 12 points.</p>
<p>Jokic’s double-double was his 53rd of the season.</p>
<p>OG Anunoby scored 25 points for the Raptors, Kyle Lowry had 20, and Malachi Flynn, who started in place of injured Fred VanVleet (hip), pitched in with 16.</p>
<p>The Nuggets led by six in the second quarter and again late in the third, but Toronto rallied both times to tie it. It was 87-85 after three quarters. Denver scored the first 12 points of the fourth and held the Raptors to just a pair of 3-pointers by Lowry in the first 5:40 of the fourth.</p>
<p>Lowry’s flagrant foul on P.J. Dozier led to a six-point possession for Denver and a 21-point lead.</p>
<p>TIP-INS</p>
<p>Raptors: VanVleet is getting an extra couple of days of rest for his hip, coach Nick Nurse said. VanVleet said after Tuesday’s loss to Brooklyn that he didn’t feel great. … G Jalen Harris returned after being out since March 14 with a hip injury but didn’t play.</p>
<p>Nuggets: Porter rolled his left ankle late in Wednesday’s game but was fine Thursday night. … Coach Michael Malone said Murray is still in Los Angeles after having surgery, and the team hopes to see him when it flies there Friday. “I think I speak for everybody in our group that we miss him, and we can’t wait to see him,” Malone said.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Raptors: At Utah on Saturday night.</p>
<p>Nuggets: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.</p>
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