It’s insane how consistent Nikola Jokić is every single night.
In the face of a lot of MVP discussion and an injury to Jamal Murray, Jokić continues to elevate the Denver Nuggets to levels they previously haven’t achieved. Tonight’s foe, the Houston Rockets, had no answer for the Joker, as he dominated the paint en route to a 128-99 blowout win. Jokić had 29 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists on 10-of-12 shooting, including 8-of-9 from free throw range. He didn’t have any turnovers. It was a masterful performance.
The Nuggets are rediscovering their identity with Jamal Murray sidelined, and having a player like Jokić makes that transition easier on everyone else. His production and efficiency in a high usage role have helped others around him discover where they fit in, and there’s no question why the Nuggets have been so resilient since their starting point guard went down. Jokić has assumed an even larger role as a playmaker, both for himself and others, to a level that very few players have ever achieved before.
The Joker keeps doing Joker things. Those stats mentioned above? They were achieved for the first time ever in under 28 minutes by Jokić tonight. He’s racking up numbers like crazy, and an easier matchup against an undersized Rockets team helped him excel.
Check out the highlights from Jokić’s standout performance below:
