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In a 120:113 Nuggets win against Detroit Pistons one name stood out among many. Nikola Jokic played a 23 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks game recording his eight triple-double of the season and a 14th triple-double in his career. To make the things even more interesting he played his perfect game against Detroit's star duo Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin. Detroit almost came back into the game while coach Malone rested Jokic, they managed to catch up a 20 points lead but then Nikola returned to the game. His BPM of +15 says it all. This is the crucial player for the Nuggets and their game depends on him in all elements.
Here is just a glimpse of the Joker's magic:
Not a standard play for a center, right?
His performance in this game should not come as a surprise since he is averaging 17.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game this season. Assists are a huge advantage in his game considering the position he plays. His passing skills are just incredible.
This February in Nuggets vs Bucks game Nikola Jokic recorded the fastest triple-double in the NBA HISTORY. With 1:54 left in the second quarter, Jokic whipped a cross-court pass to the corner, finding Chandler for an open 3-pointer. It put the Nuggets up by 13, but more importantly, it gave Jokic his 10th assist and he made history. The Serbian big man recorded the triple-double in just 14 minutes and 33 seconds of court time. He went on and finished the game with 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 17 assists. In addition, Jokic became just the sixth player in NBA history to record a game with 30-plus points, 15-plus rebounds and 15-plus assists and had his name written among the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird and James Harden.
Considering the incredible talent he possesses, no wonder Nuggets have declared numerous times that he is their main franchise player and the fans expect him to take the team into the playoffs.
Denver Nuggets are currently 10th team of the Western Conference with 38-31 score, trailing behind LA Clippers (37-30) and San Antonio Spurs (39-30) so there is still hope for them.
AUTHOR'S TAKE
Prediction for Denver Nuggets to reach playoffs this year is very simple. If the coach Malone manages to motivate Nikola Jokic to provide a few more plays like this one and harmonizes him and Paul Millsap together on the court (which looks like he did, after a few setbacks) the Nuggets may just go through and deliver the playoffs to their fan crowd finally. It is that simple, when Jokic is in the mood the Nuggets can play against any team in the League and be a serious threat.
Guess the Lakers players!
