It was a relatively slow day for the NBA on Wednesday as only four games were on tap. It was an eventful day nonetheless thanks to a Nikola Jokic masterclass, a vintage performance by Russell Westbrook, and a furious fourth quarter from Buddy Hield.
Jokic Drops Triple-Double Masterclass in Nuggets Win
Denver’s triple-double maestro was once again in fine form on Wednesday, finishing with a monster triple-double of 29 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists in leading the Nuggets to a 144-139 OT victory over the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center.
It is the second triple-double this season for the Serbian big man, who now has 134 for his career—65 shy of teammate Russell Westbrook’s NBA-best 199 total.
Westbrook Flashes Vintage Form to Help Denver Win Back-to-Back
Speaking of Westbrook, he was also instrumental in Denver’s come-from-behind win against the Nets, as he scored 22 points on 10-for-10 shooting from the charity stripe coming of the bench. He added 5 dimes in what is so far his best showing as a Nugget.
Westbrook’s 22-point explosion comes a day after he chipped in 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, also has the Nuggets sixth man. Denver has now won two straight after dropping their first two at home.
Hield Goes En Fuego to Rescue Warriors
With Stephen Curry missing the Warriors’ game against the New Orleans Pelicans, back-to-back losses seemed imminent for the Dubs. That is, until Hield went bonkers, scoring 19 points—on four triples—in the fourth quarter to complete Golden State’s fiery comeback from an early 20-point deficit at Chase Center.
Hield, one-half of the aptly named Splash Buddies with Curry, finished with 28 points on 7-for-11 from the arc. He is now averaging 21.5 points and has made 20 three-pointers in four games for the Warriors.
