Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets hold off the OKC Thunder comeback, clinch season series

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Yash Matange
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Nikola Jokic

Five Nuggets players scored in double figures as the team beat the Thunder 121-112, going 3-0 against their division rivals this season, with one more game still to be played. 

Once again, the young Denver squad were led by their MVP candidate Nikola Jokic. The center put up a stellar stat line of 36 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds for his 42nd double-double of the season, tied for the fifith-most in the league. 


The other key contributors on the Nuggets were Jamal Murray (20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and Will Barton (23 points, 5 assists, 9-of-16 shooting).

As a team, the Nuggets shot 46.6% from the field, 46.4% from the distance (13 made 3's) and recorded 28 assists on their 41 made field goals. 

The win didn't come easy though as the Nuggets had to hold off a furious 4th quarter Thunder comeback.

After a deep buzzer-beater from Paul George to end the third quarter, OKC went on a 22-6 run over the first six minutes of the fourth quarter but they couldn't complete the charge. 


George bounced back from a rough first half to finish with 25 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 6 steals (ties season-high) for the game while his fellow All-Star teammate Russell Westbrook finished one assist short of a triple-double - 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Jerami Grant provided a great offensive boost with 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists on 9-of-12 shooting but, in the end, the Thunder's three-point shooting (10 3's on 26.3% shooting) didn't help their cause. 

This is the Thunder's third loss in their last four games. 

The Nuggets have now won 21 of their last 22 games at the Pepsi Center and they have another two games remaining in this 4-game homestand. They face the Utah Jazz in a couple of days while the Thunder host the Philadelphia 76ers on the same game day. 

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Yash Matange Photo
Yash Matange

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