Nikola Jokic triple-double leads Nuggets

Nikola Jokić erstwhile again showed wherefore helium is among the champion successful the NBA. The Serbian halfway of the Denver Nuggets scored 28 points, dished retired 12 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds successful his team's 125:118 triumph implicit the New Orleans Pelicans. This is Jokic's ninth triple-double this season, and his mean is inactive an awesome 29.2 points, 13.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists. He did each of that successful conscionable 3 quarters, though helium did somewhat spoil the statistic with 9 turnovers; which is his highest fig this season.

Next to him, Peyton Watson, a young defender who scored 32 points, gave Denver a large game; his vocation high. Watson averaged 6.4 points per crippled truthful far, which shows however peculiar this crippled was. With this victory, the Nuggets won their eighth crippled successful the past 9 games, which gives them a bully commencement for the remainder of the season.

Rookies and returnees

On the Pelicans' side, Zion Williamson scored 14 points successful 29 minutes successful his instrumentality from a hamstring injury; helium missed the erstwhile 8 games. However, rookie Derik Queen, who started astatine halfway other Jokić, attracted the astir attention. The young subordinate scored 30 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and forced Jokic into respective turnovers, showing that helium is acceptable to instrumentality connected a relation connected the team. Trey Murphy III added 23 points for the Pelicans, but it wasn't enough; the squad recorded its seventh consecutive nonaccomplishment and fell to 0-3 nether interim manager James Borrega.

The crippled showed however unsafe Denver's operation of experienced Jokic and young Watson tin beryllium for opponents. Rookies and returners similar Queen and Williamson besides amusement potential; but it's inactive wide that the Pelicans person a batch of enactment to bash if they privation to extremity their losing streak and find a bushed successful the season. Denver, connected the different hand, continues to physique momentum and confirms that they are among the playoff favorites.

We volition spot however overmuch this squad tin truly execute successful the coming period, but having a person similar Jokic is surely a large deal.