Record-Breaking: Jokic Notches a Perfect 10, an Unusual Pedestal in NBA History
Nikola Jokic has become the first NBA player with at least 10 triple-doubles in seven straight seasons as the Denver Nuggets beat the Brooklyn Nets 124-101 for their third consecutive win.
Jokic had 26 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in his 115th career triple-double during the regular season.
Denver were also bolstered by the return of Jamal Murray, who missed Tuesday’s game in Chicago with ankle soreness. He scored 16 points on Thursday (local time), and Peyton Watson added 18 for the defending champion Nuggets.
“Hey, with Nikola, life becomes a lot easier,” Denver coach Michael Malone said.
“He’s just a heck of a player – 26 points, 10 assists, 15 boards, getting to the foul line and doing it in an efficient manner.
“But what I was probably most pleased about was Nikola’s defence. I wanted to be aggressive. I want to be at a level to be disruptive, and Nikola set the tone with that tonight.”
With the victory, Denver improved to 10-1 at home.
“Our defence was amazing,” Jokic said. “I think defence won the game for us. It was good to have a win like that.”
Playing the second of back-to-back games on the road, the Nets were led by Spencer Dinwiddie’s 17 points.
Meanwhile, James Harden recorded season highs of 28 points and 15 assists and Kawhi Leonard added 27 points as the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to six games with a 121-113 victory over the visiting Golden State Warriors.
Norman Powell scored 21 points and Amir Cofffey added a season-high 18 for the Clippers, while Harden became the 24th player in NBA history to reach the 25,000-point plateau .
Klay Thompson scored a season-high 30 points with eight three-pointers, and Stephen Curry added 17 for the Warriors.
Golden State were playing without Draymond Green, who was suspended indefinitely after delivering a blow to the head of the Phoenix Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic on Tuesday.
De’Aaron Fox scored 41 points as the Sacramento Kings beat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder 128-123.
The visiting Oklahoma wasted a stellar performance by Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 43 points, nine assists and six rebounds.
Australian Josh Giddey was also prominent for the Thunder. In 29 minutes of game time he scored 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
The Minnesota Timberwolves had a comfortable 119-101 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Australia’s Dante Exum had a solid game for the Mavericks, scoring 14 points with four rebounds and four assists.
In other action, the Utah Jazz beat the struggling Portland Trail Blazers 122-114, the Boston Celtics trumped the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-107, and the Chicago Bulls scored a 124-116 victory over the Miami Heat.
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