Nikola Jokic, already a legend in his career, managed to create a buzz even with a single play. His incredible no-look pass in the third quarter of the Denver Nuggets` 127-117 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks was truly something special.
Shortly after halftime, Jokić, positioned at the top of the key against Kyle Kuzma, began driving towards the basket. As he approached the elbow, all five Bucks defenders focused on him, allowing Aaron Gordon to slip unnoticed along the baseline. Jokić, noticing Gordon, delivered a stunning no-look pass right past Brook Lopez`s head, resulting in an easy dunk.
The baseline view of this pass is even more impressive than the main camera angle.
Jokić had been sidelined for the Nuggets` previous five games due to an ankle injury, his longest absence since 2017. However, he showed no signs of rust in his return. He made 16 of 25 shots from the field, achieving a monstrous triple-double: 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. In total, he either scored or assisted on 61 of the Nuggets` 127 points, marking his 30th triple-double of the season.
Only three other players in NBA history have reached 30 triple-doubles in a single season. Russell Westbrook, Jokić`s teammate in Denver, has accomplished this feat three times. The other two are Oscar Robertson and Wilt Chamberlain.
The Nuggets had a 2-3 record without Jokić and were clearly thrilled to have the three-time MVP back. Perhaps no other player in the league is as crucial to their team`s success as Jokić. This season, Denver boasts a plus-10 net rating when Jokić is on the court and a minus-8.6 net rating when he is off it.
“I`m feeling good, you know, I didn`t play for a long time,” Jokić commented. “But I`m feeling good now and I`m just happy we won the game.”
Thanks to Wednesday`s win, the Nuggets improved to 46-28, staying on course for their third consecutive 50-win season – a feat they have only achieved three times in franchise history.
The Nuggets are currently in third place in the Western Conference, but the standings remain tight. With a few weeks left in the season, they are 1.5 games behind the Houston Rockets for second place and one game ahead of both the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, who are fourth and fifth, respectively.
With Jokić back in the lineup, the Nuggets have significantly boosted their chances of securing a top-four seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Jasper Hawthorne