By Even by Nikola Jokić’s stratospheric standards, Tuesday’s performance was something special.
Jokić put up an absurd 29 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists in the Denver Nuggets’ 144-139 overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets, becoming only the second player in NBA history and the first in 62 years to reach that stat line.
The only player previously to reach those totals in a game was Oscar Robertson, who did it twice in 1962.
The Nuggets (2-2) needed every point, every rebound and every assist that Jokić gave them, too, battling back from a 17-point first-half deficit before the Serb’s clutch hook shot tied the game at 125-125 with just under nine seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
In total, four Nuggets players hit the 20-point mark and six scored in double figures. Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray had 24 points, while Russell Westbrook added 22 off the bench in his best performance since joining the team.
The Nuggets have now played in two straight OT games on back-to-back nights after Monday night’s win over the Toronto Raptors.
“It’s just an extra five minutes, it’s not really that much extra playing time,” Jokić said.
For the Nets, Dennis Schröder had a team-high 28 points to go with 14 assists, while Cam Thomas had 26 and Cameron Johnson put up 20. Seven Nets players scored in double figures as Brooklyn moved to 1-3 on the year.
Minnesota Timberwolves fans will have felt a familiar sinking feeling while watching Luka Dončić hit a late three-pointer to seal a 120-114 win for the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
Dončić gave Timberwolves fans nightmares with his clutch shots in the Mavs’ 4-1 series win in the Western Conference Finals last season and this was the first time the two teams had faced each other since then.
The Slovenian finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while backcourt partner Kyrie Irving had 35 points, four rebounds and five assists.
Dončić had some choice words for the T-Wolves crowd after drilling the three, just as he did during last season’s playoffs.
“I heard a lot of stuff – they really like me here,” Dončić joked after the game, per ESPN. “You know, last year was fun. It was a big moment in my career and in my life, so it was fun to be back here.”
For the Timberwolves, who traded Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in the offseason, Anthony Edwards had 37 points and six rebounds, while Randle added 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
The Golden State Warriors rallied from a 20-point deficit in the first half to earn a big 124-106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans without injured star Steph Curry.
The Warriors were also without the injured Andrew Wiggins, but Buddy Hield stepped up with a team-high 28-point performance, including 7-of-11 from three-point range.
There were also 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists from Lindy Waters III, a surprise but welcome source of production for the Warriors.
Head coach Steve Kerr heaped praise on Waters III after the game.
“I’ve said it since day one of camp, this guy’s a ball player,” Kerr told reporters. “The game flows when he’s out there. It’s not just because he’s a good shooter, he’s a good basketball player.
“It’s the shots that he doesn’t take because of his patience. It’s the cuts that he makes to the basket, it’s getting into a fight defensively. From day one of camp, this guy has been one of our best players, frankly.”
Curry is currently out with a sprained left ankle suffered in Sunday’s 112-104 loss to the Clippers and is due to be re-evaluated on Friday.
Zion Williamson had a game-high 31 points for the Pelicans, while Brandon Ingram added 30. However, some stale shooting from the team in the second quarter allowed Golden State to close the deficit from 20 points to four at the half, before the Warriors took off in the third to control the game.
Away @ home (winners in bold)
Denver Nuggets 144-139(OT) Brooklyn Nets
Dallas Mavericks 120-116 Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans 106-124 Golden State Warriors
Sacramento Kings 113-96 Utah Jazz
