Denver Nuggets heart Nikola Jokic (15) reacts alongside facet ahead Aaron Gordon (32) following a full court docket basket made within the second half in opposition to the Sacramento Kings at Ball Enviornment. Obligatory Credit score: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Photographs
DENVER— Nikola Jokic took an inbounds go with 1.7 seconds left within the third quarter, turned and let fly with a 66-foot heave that bought all internet on the different finish. He casually walked over to his bench as his teammates mobbed him and the sold-out area erupted.
“I believed it had an opportunity, after which growth,” Russell Westbrook mentioned. “The most effective a part of it was no response from him. Which I like.”
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READ: NBA: Nikola Jokic’s fifth straight triple-double leads Nuggets previous Kings
It seemed to be a footnote in what regarded like a Denver Nuggets blowout win Thursday night time. Denver led Sacramento 110-85 at that time however needed to maintain off a late rally to drag out a 132-123 victory over the Kings, its fourth straight.
Jokic completed with 35 factors, 22 rebounds and a season-high 17 assists, and the shot from three-quarters court docket stood out amongst his 12 area targets.
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“Not stunning,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone mentioned. “He’s a man that has this uncanny means.”
Jokic took the low-percentage shot however noticed his 3-point common rise. He made 2 of three from behind the arc and is now taking pictures 47.9% from deep.
“Whenever you play you need to make each shot,” he mentioned. “I took it to make it and I did make it. It’s a fortunate shot, probably not a high-percentage shot, however I took it to make it. It’s three factors. It’s going to assist us.”
Jokic’s shot highlighted his fifth straight triple-double, all earlier than the tip of the third quarter, and his twentieth of the season, essentially the most within the NBA this season.
He additionally has an uncanny means to place up historic numbers. He’s now averaging a triple-double for the season — 30.2 factors, 13.4 rebounds and 10 assists — and two weeks in the past he and Westbrook turned the primary teammates to each report triple-doubles in similar recreation a number of instances.
Thursday night time he hit one other milestone.
In keeping with the NBA, Jokic joins Wilt Chamberlain as the one gamers in NBA historical past to report a recreation with at the least 35 factors, 20 rebounds and 15 assists.
“I feel this one of the best basketball I’ve ever performed,” Jokic mentioned. “I’m feeling good on the market, I’m in form, the ball goes in. I feel I’m taking part in actually good.”
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Jokic earned one other All-Star spot for the occasion subsequent month in San Francisco. It’s the seventh straight time he has been named to the All-Star recreation and it’s the fifth in a row as a starter.
“Simply to be on the ground with one of the best gamers within the league is an honor,” he mentioned.
