NBA: Another triple-double for Nikola Jokic as Nuggets beat Cavaliers
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Nikola Jokic (right) had 28 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his 10th triple-double of the NBA season.
PHOTO: USA TODAY SPORTS
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DENVER – Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone has likened his star man Nikola Jokic to a “computer” for getting his decisions right all the time, after his team beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-108 at home on Friday night.
The Serbian centre had 28 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his 10th triple-double of the National Basketball Association (NBA) season, while Jamal Murray scored 18 points as the Western Conference-leading Nuggets improved to 26-13.
Michael Porter Jr had 16 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 14, Bones Hyland and Bruce Brown scored 13 apiece and Aaron Gordon added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Denver.
“Nikola is just like a computer, he reads stuff really quick and makes the right decision 9.9 times out of 10,” said Malone.
“It doesn’t matter who’s in front of him, he’s a great player. He’s going to find a way to score and be efficient. I have been around some really good players... LeBron James is a guy that has seen everything under the sun and same thing (for Jokic). Their ability to read the situation is just remarkable.”
Jokic’s performance also drew praise from his teammates and rivals alike.
“He sees things before they happen,” said Brown.
Added Cleveland’s Kevin Love: “Jokic looks like he’s on the way to potentially a third (straight) MVP (Most Valuable Player) award.”
Caris LeVert scored 22 points, Darius Garland had 21 and Cedi Osman added 15 for the Cavaliers, who also had Jarrett Allen scoring 13, Evan Mobley finishing with 12 and Love registering 10 points.
The game was tight throughout the first half, with both teams leading by five at different points.
Jokic opened the second half with two three-pointers, and Murray had a tip-in and a three-pointer to give the Nuggets a 75-62 lead with 8min 52sec left in the third.
Murray hit a jumper to start the fourth. The game was delayed for just 38 seconds so the backboard at Cleveland’s basket could be adjusted to be level. When play resumed, Nuggets back-up centre DeAndre Jordan was called for a flagrant foul on Lamar Stevens, who hit both free throws. Mobley dunked and Garland hit a layup and a free throw to get the Cavaliers within 100-91.
Hyland fed Jordan for an alley-oop and then made a lay-up to push the lead to 104-91.
Cleveland then made four straight free throws to get the deficit under 10, but Denver responded with seven straight points to go ahead by 16 with 4:43 left and closed it out.
The Cavs (25-15) were undone by their 18-for-32 performance from the free-throw line, said their coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “I don’t think we gave them our best shot,” he added. “You don’t miss that many free throws if you’re locked in. I don’t think we had the right approach.” REUTERS
