Nikola Jokic strikes again with triple-double in record-setting game for Nuggets

Nikola Jokic set an NBA record en route to his third straight triple-double, Jamal Murray chipped in with 27 points, and the Denver Nuggets rallied to defeat the Golden State Warriors, 119-103, in San Francisco. on Sunday, February 25 (Monday, February 26, Manila time).

Jokic finished with 32 points, 16 rebounds, and 16 assists en route to a record-setting third consecutive game with at least 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Seeking a third straight win coming out of the All-Star break, the Nuggets found themselves down 56-40 in the second quarter before closing the period on a 21-5 run to draw even at 61-all by halftime.

Murray had 10 points in the turnaround.

The Warriors got the first two hoops of the third period, but Denver then took command with a 14-0 flurry in which Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope drilled three-pointers while Jokic had two hoops and two assists.

Caldwell-Pope also did his usual masterful defensive job on Golden State star Stephen Curry, who had 20 points despite going just 1 of 10 on three-point attempts. Curry shot just 6-for-19 overall.

Klay Thompson was the driving force in the hosts’ early success with 23 first-half points, including five three-pointers, but he went scoreless in the second half, missing all three of shots from beyond the arc.

Thompson’s 23 points remained the team high for Golden State, which had won three in a row.

Jonathan Kuminga had 19 points and Andrew Wiggins 14 for the Warriors, who were swept 4-0 by the defending champs in the season series.

Brandin Podziemski, playing on his 21st birthday, had 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 points.

Jokic’s made 13 of 24 shots in his 18th triple-double of the season. Murray went 9-for-16, helping the Nuggets outshoot the Warriors 48.9% to 43.2%.

Jokic also had 4 of Denver’s 10 steals.

Aaron Gordon aided the visitors’ cause with 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals, and Caldwell-Pope added 13 points for Denver, which beat Golden State for the seventh consecutive time over the last two seasons. – Rappler.com