Nikola Jokic scoring 50 or more points had never been enough for the Denver Nuggets to win — until now.
Jokic on Wednesday night tied the highest-scoring performance in the NBA this season with 55 points, as the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 130-116 for their sixth straight victory.
The Nuggets were 0-4 in his previous 50-point outbursts.
Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
“It’s a good feeling,” the three-time NBA Most Valuable Player said.
He equaled Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 55 in a double-overtime game at the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 23.
Jokic has been on a roll during Denver’s winning streak. He is the first player in NBA history to average a 35-point triple-double while shooting 60 percent or better across a six-game stretch.
Photo: AFP
Opposing defenses have thrown everything at him in a fruitless effort to slow down the 2.1m Serbian.
“I think I saw everything, but I think it’s hard. We are really running a lot of plays for me, all kind of different plays,” he said.
Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Jokic scored 25 of Denver’s 39 points in the first quarter.
“I didn’t open the game really good,” he said. “I think I missed like two, three layups, and after that I felt good.”
Last season, Jokic played well on the back end of consecutive games, too. His routine on 24 hours’ rest includes a daytime nap in between eating things like avocado, eggs, oatmeal and toast.
“The way he played today is how he works out when no one is watching,” coach David Adelman said. “He prepares every day for situations like this.”
Elsewhere on Wednesday night, Stephen Curry scored 46 points, as the Golden State Warriors rallied to stun the San Antonio Spurs 125-120.
Curry scored 31 of his points in the second half as the Warriors handed the Spurs a first home defeat of the season, snapping San Antonio’s three-game winning streak despite triple-doubles from Victor Wembanyama and teammate Stephon Castle.
Wembanyama delivered 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists and Castle added 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
San Antonio led by 16 in the second quarter, but the Warriors cut the deficit to seven at halftime and powered to the lead in the third quarter.
Curry said that in the wake of a blowout loss to the Thunder on Tuesday “everybody stepped up.”
“That third quarter is what we do,” he added. “Getting stops, pushing, creating easy offense, and thankfully I was able to knock a couple down.”
In other games, the Orlando Magic cut down the New York Knicks 124-107, the Thunder shocked the Los Angeles Lakers 121-92, the Boston Celtics mauled the Memphis Grizzlies 131-95, the Cleveland Cavalier cooked the Miami Heat 130-116 and the Houston Rockets blew up the Washington Wizards 135-112.
The Phoenix Suns burnt the Dallas Mavericks 123-114, the Charlotte Hornets stung the Milwaukee Bucks 111-100, the Detroit Piston ran over the Chicago Bulls 124-113, the Portland Trail Blazers dropped the New Orleans Pelicans 125-117 and the Atlanta Hawks dethroned the Sacramento Kings 133-100.
Additional reporting by staff writer, with AFP and Reuters
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