DENVER -- Nikola Jokic's philosophy is an assist makes two people happy -- the scorer and the passer.

Friday, he turned that belief into a milestone night.

Jokic returned to the lineup with 20 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double, and the Denver Nuggets held off a Milwaukee comeback to beat the Bucks 121-117 on Friday night.

Jokic had come within a pair of assists of a triple-double in two previous games before reaching the milestone Friday. He tied a career high with the 11 assists and backed up words with a career night.

"A point makes you happy; an assist makes you and your teammate happy," Jokic said. "An assist makes two people happy."

He got his 10th assist when he hit a streaking Faried for a fast-break dunk with 4:42 left in the game and he got an ovation from the crowd and his teammates.

"This will be the first of many triple-doubles," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.

Malone gave Jokic the game ball in the locker room and he reacted by throwing his arms around his coach.

"Yeah, and I hugged him," Jokic said. "I was naked and I hugged him. That's true."

Wilson Chandler had 23 points and eight rebounds and Kenneth Faried had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets (22-27).

Jabari Parker had 27 points and 11 rebounds and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 23 for the Bucks, who have lost 10 of 11.

Jokic sat out three games with a left hip flexor strain but came back strong. He had a double-double by halftime with 17 points and 10 rebounds and added six assists, drawing praise from his opponents.

"As a fan of basketball I love his game and the way he is growing," Parker said of Jokic.

The Nuggets led by 22 early in the third quarter on seven points from Gary Harris. Two of his baskets came on assists by Jokic, whose ninth assist came on a reverse dunk by Faried and brought the fans and the Denver players on the bench to their feet.

"That was an NFL pass and that was a crazy finish," Darrell Arthur said. "That's top 10 for sure. I've never seen anything like it."

The Bucks (21-28) responded with a 12-0 run to get within seven late in the third and trailed 98-89 heading into the fourth.

John Henson scored the first six Milwaukee points in the fourth as the Bucks continued to chip away. They got within four three times early in the fourth before Antetokounmpo's only 3-pointer of the game made it 113-112 with 2:53 left.

Harris answered with a layup on a Jokic assist, Parker hit another layup and Jameer Nelson hit a 3-pointer to make it a four-point lead. Faried hit 1 of 2 free throws with 24.4 seconds left to make it 119-114.

"Guys came back in that second half and played the way we should have started the game," Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd said. "When you dig a hole that big you have to be perfect."

Denver seemed in control when it ended the second quarter on a 26-9 run to take a 70-53 halftime lead.

Jokic had nine points, four rebounds and four assists in the last 6:38 of the second. Chandler had 14 points at the break as did Jamal Murray, who hit all five of his shots and went 3-for-3 from the line. Murray finished with 18 points.

NOTES: Milwaukee's two new additions were not with the team on Friday. Centers Spencer Hawes and Roy Hibbert, who were acquired from Charlotte for Miles Plumlee on Thursday, could join the Bucks in Phoenix on Saturday. They were undergoing physicals Friday, coach Jason Kidd said. Plumlee can't play for the Hornets until Hawes and Hibbert are cleared. ... Nuggets F Danilo Gallinari (left groin strain) is expected to miss "the next couple of games," Denver coach Michael Malone said. "We're not going to rush him back. That's an injury that can keep coming back if you don't treat it the right way." ... Bucks G Rashad Vaughn was available after missing Wednesday due to illness. ... Denver G Will Barton returned after missing two games with a left ankle injury.