Nikola Jokic needed just 24 minutes on Friday to deliver a performance the NBA had never seen before. Back in the Denver Nuggets’ lineup after missing 16 games with a knee injury, the three-time MVP poured in 31 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, handed out five assists and collected three steals as Denver beat the Los Angeles Clippers by 13 at Ball Arena.
According to the Denver Post’s Bennett Durando, Jokic became the first player in league history to reach at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while playing fewer than 25 minutes.
“You miss playing, the pressure and the adrenaline—just being out there with the guys,” Jokic said postgame. “This hasn’t happened to me in my career, so it was an interesting feeling.”
The Serbian star admitted watching from the sidelines was draining. He often found himself yelling at the television when he stayed home in Denver and feeling “emotionally empty” after attending games in person. During the final two contests of his recovery, he tried to “just chill and watch.”
Even with Jokic back, the Nuggets are still short-handed. Aaron Gordon remains sidelined by a hamstring strain, while Christian Braun (ankle) and Cameron Johnson (knee) continue their own rehab work. Still, Jokic’s return gives one of the Western Conference’s top contenders a significant lift.
The center said the injured knee never crossed his mind once the game began. “I wasn’t scared to use it,” he noted. “I wasn’t thinking about it while running or playing, so that’s a good sign I’m ready.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
