NBA fans witnessed extraordinary offensive displays on Tuesday night. Stephen Curry scored 52 points, hitting 12 three-pointers, and Nikola Jokic achieved a personal best of 61 points against the Timberwolves in an unforgettable regular-season game.
Notably, this was the first time in NBA history that two former MVPs each scored 50 points on the same night, and only the second time after Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor in 1963 that two players recorded at least 50 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists on the same night.
Curry`s performance was incredible, but Jokic`s was even more impressive.
However, unlike Curry`s winning effort, Jokic`s phenomenal game was overshadowed by two critical errors from Russell Westbrook in the closing moments. These mistakes essentially handed Minnesota a double-overtime victory, despite Denver seemingly being in control.
With less than 15 seconds remaining in double overtime and Denver leading by a single point, Anthony Edwards` errant pass landed directly into Westbrook`s hands. Westbrook had two options: advance the ball to the forecourt to find a better free-throw shooter as the Timberwolves would have been forced to foul, or aggressively attack with a 2-on-1 advantage.
He chose the latter, which wasn`t inherently a bad choice. Whether through free throws or a basket, the Nuggets would only have been up by three, still leaving time for the Timberwolves. The issue wasn`t the decision to go for a layup itself.
The problems were twofold: Westbrook missed the layup entirely, and then he fouled Nickeil Alexander-Walker on a three-point attempt with just a tenth of a second left on the clock.
Alexander-Walker made the first two free throws, securing a 140-139 victory for the Timberwolves. It was a disappointing end for Jokic`s magnificent performance.
These things happen in basketball. The game was intensely competitive with remarkable plays and shots from both teams for an extended period. Westbrook will face criticism for his actions, and rightfully so, as the missed layup was significant, and the foul on a three-point shooter was a poor decision, even considering the pressure of last-second plays.
With this loss, the Nuggets are now tied in the loss column with the Lakers for the 3rd and 4th seed positions, while the Timberwolves are tied with the Grizzlies for the 6th seed with six games remaining. Anthony Edwards also played exceptionally well for the Timberwolves, making crucial shots and finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
However, the night belonged to Jokic. He also recorded 10 assists and 10 rebounds along with his 61 points, marking the highest point total in a triple-double in NBA history. The only other players to achieve a 60-point triple-double are James Harden in 2018 with 11 assists and 10 rebounds against the Magic, and Luka Doncic in 2022 with 21 rebounds and 10 assists against the Knicks.
Perhaps the most impressive statistic for Jokic was not his points, rebounds, or assists, but his playing time of 52 minutes. After returning to the game at the 6:28 mark of the second quarter, he remained on the court for the rest of the game, playing over 40 consecutive minutes.
Unfortunately, it didn`t result in a win for the Nuggets. This is not to diminish the Timberwolves` victory, who played outstandingly despite difficult possessions at the end of regulation and the first overtime. It just feels as though Jokic deserved to win this game.
Jasper Hawthorne