With only a few weeks left in the NBA season and a tight Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets inched closer to the final home-court-advantage spot after thumping the Dallas Mavericks, 142-135, on Thursday.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic produced another unearthly stat line in the second leg of a back-to-back, dropping 23 points, 19 rebounds, and 21 assists.
“It was tough, especially with how they played,” Jokic said of the Mavs postgame. “They’re pushing the pace, they’re always in transition… I’m just glad that Jamal and I had an amazing game and won,” he added.
Jokic Flirts with 20-20-20 Triple-Double for Nuggets
After dropping a triple-double in yesterday’s win against the Phoenix Suns, the Joker followed it up by producing another one, but this time coming up just a rebound short of a 20-20-20 performance, which has only been done thrice in NBA history.
This also marks the 11th instance that the Serbian big man was able to notch a triple-double on both legs of a back-to-back, notching a total of 46 points, 38 rebounds, and 36 assists in little over 24 hours, all while turning the ball over just three times.
With the win, the Nuggets are tied with no teams at the fourth spot in the West, which would guarantee them home-court advantage come the playoffs.
Jamal Murray Drops 53 as Mavs Drop Fifth Straight
Jokic’s performance was not the only notable one on the Denver roster, as his longtime running mate, Jamal Murray, also dropped 53 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.
The Nuggets guard also shot the lights out, finishing with a 67.9% field goal percentage while also knocking down nine three-pointers.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks have now dropped their fifth straight game amidst Cooper Flagg’s sensational rookie campaign, dropping 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.
The Nuggets will try to solidify their playoff bid with a match against the Utah Jazz on Saturday, while the Mavericks will look to return to the win column against the Portland Trail Blazers on the same day.
