DENVER -- As Nikola Jokic lay on the court, pounding the floor in pain and his team gathered around him, the Denver Nuggets were bracing for the worst.

Thirty minutes later, Jokic was sitting at his locker with an icepack on his left hip and joking with his teammates. It was the best news of the night for the Nuggets.

"It's good news for us," Will Barton said. "He's been playing out of this world, our best player, and it would be tough to see him go down for a long time. I'm just happy he's fine."

Jokic had 29 points and 14 rebounds before leaving late in the fourth with a strained left hip, and the Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 127-120 on Thursday night.

Danilo Gallinari scored 23 points and Barton scored 16 off the bench for Denver (20-25), which won its fifth straight at home and sixth in its last eight overall.

It looked like it would be a sour victory after Jokic limp off the court with 1:47 left after a hard fall. He was in pain as he lay on the court for a while before standing up and limping to the locker room.

Players and executives waited outside the X-ray room as Jokic was examined, and when he emerged walking under his own power and flanked by his older brothers, there was relief.

"He's our best player and we're 10 times better with him on the court," Darrell Arthur said. "It's unfortunate he got hurt. I'm glad it wasn't anything serious."

Jokic is scheduled to have an MRI on Friday morning, the team said.

He notched his 18th double-double of the season before the injury and is averaging 19.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists in the last 25 games.

It explains why the team was happy to see he wasn't seriously hurt.

"It didn't look too bad, but painful," Wilson Chandler said. "I'm just glad he's OK."

Eric Bledsoe had 28 points and Devin Booker scored 24 for the Suns (15-31). T.J. Warren added 21 but Phoenix couldn't keep pace down the stretch.

The game featured four players competing in the Rising Stars Challenge game at NBA All-Star Weekend. A fifth, Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay, was out with a back injury.

Two of the five put on a good show. Booker had 12 points in the third quarter alone and Jokic stuffed the box score with another near triple-double, finishing two assists short of the milestone stat before leaving.

"He had a great game," Phoenix coach Earl Watson said of Jokic. "He played magnificent for them."

Phoenix used its defense to turn a one-point lead into a 70-61 advantage early in the third quarter. Three quick Denver turnovers led to two layups and a dunk for the Suns and a Nuggets timeout.

Denver recovered late in the period to go on a 14-5 run and take a 96-92 lead into the fourth. The Suns scored nine straight points to go up 109-105 but the Nuggets reeled off eight in a row to go back in front.

The lead was one when Jokic hit a driving layup and put in his own miss. Jameer Nelson, who finished with 13 points and nine assists, hit a jumper and fed Jokic for another short jumper to make it 125-118 with two minutes left.

"They just made some plays and we couldn't get no stops," Bledsoe said.

The Suns were outscored 30-14 at the free-throw line and were outrebounded 46-28. Denver held a 19-8 advantage in offensive rebounds.

"Rebounds, minus-18 for the game; minus-18 at the free-throw line," Watson said. "Those are numbers you can't overcome but we still had a chance to win."

Brandon Knight scored 11 of his 17 points in the second quarter to push the Suns into the lead. Phoenix trailed by six after one but outscored Denver 32-22 in the second to take a four-point halftime lead.

NOTES: Nuggets G Emmanuel Mudiay was out for the third straight game with lower-back soreness. Mudiay left Saturday's game against the Clippers after a hard screen aggravated his back. Coach Michael Malone said he does not think it will be an injury that will keep Mudiay out long. ... Suns F Dragan Bender did not play because of right ankle soreness. Bender missed Tuesday's game against the Timberwolves. ... The Nuggets signed F Johnny O'Bryant to a 10-day contract Thursday. Malone said the 6-foot-9 forward gives him extra bodies to use in the frontcourt if guys are tired or injuries flare up.