A 32-point Nikola Jokić triple-double was enough to erase a 16-point deficit and drag the defending champion Nuggets to a 119-103 over the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.
Jokić (32 pts, 16 reb, 16 ast, 4 stl) became the first player in league history to drop 14+ rebounds and 14+ assists in three-straight games in the win.
He also joins James Harden and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to put up 32+ points, 16+ rebounds, and 16+ assists in a single game whilst being the only player ever to also do it with four steals.
The MVP frontrunner shot 13-of-24 from the field and finished the game +20.
He was flanked by Jamal Murray (27 pts, 9/16 FG), Aaron Gordon (17 pts, 6 reb, 7/10 FG), and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (13 pts, +19).
A red-hot opening courtesy of Klay Thompson – 23 points in less than 12 minutes of action – pushed the Warriors to a 16-point lead mid-way through the second period.
A 21-5 run to close the half however dragged the Nuggets back into it before a fourth quarter in which they outscored the Warriors by a dozen.
The Nuggets held the Warriors to just 32.4% from deep and scored and forced 17 turnovers en route to their 39th win of the season.
Stephen Curry (20 pts, 6/19 FG, 1/10 3P) struggled shooting whilst Thompson (23 pts, 7/15 FG) did not score from the 7:17 mark of the second quarter onwards.
The Warriors take on the Wizards in the nation’s capital on Wednesday whilst Denver host Sacramento Thursday.
