Jokic's triple-double powers Denver past the Raptors 128–109 — Toronto led at the half, then lost the third quarter 41–15

By The Canadian Chronicle · Thursday, November 5, 2026

Sports · NBA · The Canadian Chronicle

Published Thursday, November 5, 2026 · 3 min read

The Toronto Raptors led in Denver at halftime on Wednesday night. Then the third quarter happened: Denver outscored Toronto 41–15, and the Nuggets won 128–109 at Ball Arena.

The quarter that decided it

Toronto led 67–64 at the half in a high-scoring first two quarters. Denver turned that three-point deficit into a 23-point lead in twelve minutes, going up 105–82 after three quarters.

Toronto won the fourth quarter 27–23. It was not close to enough against a 41-point third.

Jokic's night

Nikola Jokic recorded his third triple-double of the season: 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, with three steals, on 13-of-19 shooting. He did it in three quarters and sat out the fourth.

Bryce Hopkins added 18 points for Denver. The 19-point win was the Nuggets' most lopsided victory of the season.

Toronto's side

RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 22 points. Scottie Barnes added 17, and Collin Murray-Boyles and Immanuel Quickley scored 13 each.

Game reports noted Toronto played without Kawhi Leonard, and the Raptors are 2-4 in games he has missed. After a 3-1 start, Toronto has lost three of its past four.

Where the teams stand

Denver is 4-3 and Toronto is 4-4. The Raptors wrap up their four-game road trip at Milwaukee on Friday night. The Nuggets host Indiana on Saturday afternoon.

Quarter by quarter

Toronto outscored Denver 35–33 in the first quarter and 32–31 in the second. The Raptors' offence produced 67 points in the first half, and their three-point halftime lead was earned, not given.

The collapse was specific to the third. Toronto scored 15 points in the quarter — fewer than half its total in either of the first two — while Denver scored 41, its highest quarter of the night.

Denver's win was its first this season against a team with a winning record. Toronto's road trip, which ends Friday in Milwaukee, is now 1-2 with one game left.

More from the scoresheet

Barrett's 22 points came with five rebounds. Hopkins scored his 18 for Denver on 6-of-7 shooting from the field.

Jokic's line — 32 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, three steals — was complete before the fourth quarter began. Denver did not need him for a single minute of the final twelve.