Home Entertainment KING OF REBOUND: Nikola Jokic created ‘DOMINANT’ performance with 15th triple-double in Nuggets’ win over Blazers

KING OF REBOUND: Nikola Jokic created ‘DOMINANT’ performance with 15th triple-double in Nuggets’ win over Blazers

Entertainment — 02/03/2024

Nikola Jokic had 27 points, a season-high 22 rebounds and 12 assists as the host Denver Nuggets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 120-108 on Friday night.

Scoot Henderson Breaks Through as Blazers Fall to Nuggets - Blazer's Edge

Jokic, who sat out the Nuggets’ loss at Oklahoma City on Wednesday due to lower back pain, notched his 15th triple-double of the season by the end of the third quarter. It was his 120th career triple-double in the regular season.

Aaron Gordon added 18 points for Denver, and Jamal Murray just missed out on a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 16 points, Peyton Watson added 14 and Michael Porter Jr. and Reggie Jackson contributed 13 points apiece as the Nuggets won for the third time in four games.

Nikola Jokic dominates for triple-double, Nuggets beat Blazers

Rookie Scoot Henderson led Portland with 30 points. Anfernee Simons scored 29, Malcolm Brogdon had 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists and Toumani Camara and Duop Reath scored 10 apiece. The Blazers had their two-game winning streak snapped.

Portland trailed by eight entering the fourth but quickly made it 92-88 before the Nuggets stretched the lead. Murray assisted Watson for a corner 3-pointer that gave Denver a 103-93 lead.

Jokic posts 15th triple-double as Nuggets hold off short-handed Blazers 120-108 - The Columbian

The Blazers kept it close, cutting the deficit to 106-99 on two free throws from Henderson, but Watson hit another from deep and Jokic scored on a short bank shot to put the Nuggets ahead by 12 with 4:34 left, and the hosts closed it out.

Jokic logra su 15to triple doble; Nuggets doblegan 120-108 a Blazers disminuidos

Portland trailed just 22–14 late in the first quarter despite missing 12 of its opening 13 and 17 of its 20 shots. At the start of the second quarter, Denver led 33–20, but the Blazers came back to take their first lead at 41–40.

The lead was traded multiple times before the Nuggets took a 59-55 advantage into the half.

After Gordon’s dunk gave Denver a 78-65 lead in the third quarter, Portland began to pull away behind Simons. Late in the third, he scored two 3-pointers from step-back and two midrange jumpers to pull Portland within 86-77.

Late in the third quarter, the Nuggets increased their lead to 12, and they led 92–84 going into the fourth.