Nuggets center Nikola Jokic fights for position with Rockets center Alperen Sengun during their game Saturday in Denver. Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

DENVER — Nikola Jokic blocked Jae’Sean Tate’s drive to the basket as time ran out and the short-handed Denver Nuggets escaped with a 95-94 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

Jokic finished with 28 points and 14 rebounds in the absence of forward Michael Porter Jr.

Porter left the game with 4:50 remaining in the first quarter and didn’t return because of what the team called lower back soreness. Porter missed a fast-break layup early in the game and came up the court gingerly. He stayed in the game for more than four minutes before leaving.

Aaron Gordon had nine points, including a pair of corner 3-pointers, his last one with 51.4 seconds left that gave Denver the lead.

The Nuggets had a chance to go up by three but P.J. Dozier missed a shot with 12.8 left. The Rockets raced down the court and got the ball to Tate, who drove baseline and went up for a possible winning basket but Jokic blocked it.

Jokic also had a block in the final seconds at Minnesota to preserve a win against the Timberwolves on Oct. 30.

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HEAT 118, JAZZ 115: Tyler Herro scored 29 points, Kyle Lowry had his 19th triple-double and Miami held off Utah to win at home.

Miami led by 19 points with 5 minutes remaining but the victory wasn’t assured until Donovan Mitchell missed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds.

Lowry finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Jimmy Butler scored 27 points for the Heat, making two free throws with 10.4 seconds remaining after Utah had cut it to 116-115.

Mitchell then missed h is 3-point attempt, with Lowry grabbing the rebound and released a pass downcourt to Butler.

76ERS 114, BULLS 105: Joel Embiid had 30 points and 15 rebounds to lead Philadelphia to their its straight victory, in Chicago.

Furkan Korkmaz matched his career best with seven 3-pointers and added 25 points for the Sixers, who topped Chicago for the second time in four nights.

Zach LaVine had 32 points and DeMar DeRozan added 25 for Chicago.

The Bulls led 97-96 after LaVine ended a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer with 5:48 to play, but Embiid answered with a 3 a minute later and the Sixers never trailed again. Korkmaz gave Philadelphia a bit of a cushion with his final 3-pointer with 3:03 left and the Bulls played catch-up the rest of the way.

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