Nikola Jokić delivered a performance for the ages in a thrilling double-overtime showdown on Tuesday night. Yet, it wasn’t enough to secure a win for the Denver Nuggets against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who edged out a 140-139 victory.
The Nuggets were without key players Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., putting additional pressure on Jokić, who rose to the occasion spectacularly.
Nikola Jokić Made History Against the Minnesota Timberwolves
Jokić achieved a career-high 61 points, completing a triple-double that included 10 assists and 10 rebounds. His historic outing prompted Nuggets coach Michael Malone to liken him to “Superman” in postgame remarks.
“Nikola came up to me after the third quarter and said, ‘Coach, I’m good. Leave me in there. I don’t want to come out. Let me just keep playing,'” Malone recounted. “With 61 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds, he was just phenomenal.”
This remarkable performance set multiple records: Jokić’s 61 points are the most ever scored by a player recording a triple-double, and he has now tied Wilt Chamberlain for the most triple-doubles by a center in a season, with 31.
Despite the herculean effort, the Nuggets couldn’t clinch the win, leaving Jokić to play 53 of the game’s 58 minutes. He was efficient from the field, making 18 of 29 shots, including 6 of 11 three-point attempts, and scored 19 of 24 from the free-throw line.
Nikola Jokić Continues to Guide the Denver Nuggets
Returning from a five-game absence due to an ankle injury, Jokić showed no signs of slowing down, having recorded triple-doubles in each game since his return. This marked his second game this season scoring at least 50 points, with the first being a 56-point effort against the Washington Wizards on December 7—also a narrow loss for Denver.
As the Nuggets navigate the absence of Murray, who is sidelined with hamstring tightness, and Porter, who was away due to a family matter, the pressure remains high. Both players’ availability for the upcoming game against the San Antonio Spurs remains uncertain.
This loss places Denver at a crucial juncture in the season. With a record of 47-29, they now trail the Houston Rockets by two games for the second seed in the Western Conference and are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers in the loss column for the third spot.
As the regular season winds down, each game becomes increasingly significant in the tight race for playoff positioning.
