Nuggets score 72 first half points and rout short-handed 76ers

Christian Braun had 22 points, Cameron Johnson scored 18, and the host Denver Nuggets used a big first half to rout the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers, 124-96, on Tuesday night.

Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray and Bruce Brown finished with 12 points each and Nikola Jokic had 14 assists for Denver, which never trailed. The Nuggets play nine of their final 13 games at home, where they started 17-13.

Denver remains in fifth place in the crowded Western Conference race, 1-1/2 games behind the third-place Los Angeles Lakers.