An exhausted Nikola Jokic on Wednesday had 35 points and 13 rebounds in more than 36 minutes of action to help the Nuggets hold off the Golden State Warriors 108-105.
Jokic plans to spend an off day at the swimming pool with his daughter. He was not going to spend a moment thinking about basketball.
The Denver big man has certainly earned a break.
Photo: AP
Reggie Jackson, filling in for an injured Jamal Murray, added 20 points to help the defending champions improve to an NBA-best 8-1 overall and 6-0 at home.
“We feel like it’s a good group of guys and we are playing the right way,” Jokic said. “I think that’s why we’re winning the games.”
Jokic played the entire third quarter in an effort to help out a struggling bench unit. He also exerted energy trying to fend off Warriors big man Kevon Looney.
Photo: AP
Jokic had a chance to wrap it up with 15 seconds left and the Nuggets up 107-105, but missed two free throws.
Stephen Curry’s floater in the lane to tie it up was off the mark and the ball went out of bounds off the Warriors. Jackson hit one of two free throws with 3.5 seconds remaining and Klay Thompson could not get a shot off at the buzzer.
“I thought we competed at a high level,” said Thompson, who had 15 points. “We were right there, gave ourselves a chance to win in a very hard place to win.”
Michael Porter Jr scored 17 points for Denver, while Aaron Gordon added 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Curry, fresh off winning the Western Conference player of the week award, was hounded all night, mostly by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and finished with 23 points.
Denver led by 12 in the first half, trailed by five early in the fourth quarter and then rallied behind Jackson and Jokic.
What kept the Warriors close was their bench. Golden State’s reserves outscored Denver’s backups 42-12.
“I thought that our bench struggled tonight,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “Our young guys, I didn’t think were really prepared to come into the game and play tonight. First time I’ve seen that this season and they’ll learn from it.”
Malone went with veteran Justin Holiday over one of the younger players in the fourth quarter.
“I’m not the Salvation Army. I’m not just going to give minutes,” Malone said. “You have to continue to earn your minutes.”
Both teams were short-handed, with the Nuggets missing Murray for a second straight game because of a strained right hamstring. The Warriors were without Draymond Green for personal reasons and Gary Payton II due to an illness.
The show within the show was the matchup between Curry and Jokic.
Jokic showed his court vision, finishing with five assists and none better than his pass to a cutting Jackson to make it 105-102 with 1 minute, 9 seconds remaining.
Jokic also came out with a mindset to take more shots against Golden State. He finished 14 of 25, going one of eight from three-point range.
“He approaches the game different game to game,” Looney said. “I felt like he was really aggressive today.”
Curry flashed his long-range magic, hitting six of 13 from behind the arc. He has drained four or more three-pointers in nine straight games to start the season.
“It was a hell of a fight. Our guys really competed and gave themselves a chance to win,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Tough, tough way to finish, but couldn’t be more proud of them and more excited about our team.”
Elsewhere on Wednesday, it was:
‧ 76ers 106, Celtics 103
‧ Bucks 120, Pistons 118
‧ Bulls 115, Suns 116
‧ Grizzlies 102, Heat 108
‧ Hornets 116, Wizards 132
‧ Kings 121, Trail Blazers 118
‧ Knicks 126, Spurs 105
‧ Mavericks 116, Raptors 127
‧ Nets 100, Clippers 93
‧ Pacers 134, Jazz 118
‧ Rockets 128, Lakers 94
‧ Thunder 128, Cavaliers 120
‧ T’wolves 122, Pelicans 101
Brazil has four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup that kicked off yesterday in the US, but for SE Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption. Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles. The only major trophy missing is a world champions’ title. Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense FC and Botafogo FR, also in the tournament, have never won it either, but the problem for Palmeiras
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, are to
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
RSS