BY OSABUOHIEN VIVIAN-ROSE
Nikola Jokic compiled 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists as the host Denver Nuggets rallied from nine down in overtime to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-138 on Thursday night.
The 30-year-old star produced the first NBA game ever with at least 55 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists. Jokic also logged the third-highest point total ever registered on Christmas Day, behind 60 points from Bernard King in 1984 and 59 from Wilt Chamberlain in 1961.
It was the 15th triple-double of the season for Jokic. He now has 179 in his career during the regular season and 21 in the postseason. Jamal Murray finished with 35 points and 10 assists for the Nuggets, who had lost two of their previous three games.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards scored 24 of his 44 points in the fourth quarter and overtime before picking up his second technical foul with 21 seconds left in the extra session.
Jalen Brunson hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:05 left for host New York, which overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Cleveland.
Brunson scored 13 of his 34 points over the final 7:15 for the Knicks, who mounted their biggest comeback win of the season. Reserves Jordan Clarkson (25 points) and Tyler Kolek (16 points, nine assists) had big games while Karl-Anthony Towns (11 points, 14 rebounds) posted a double-double.
Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points for the Cavaliers, who blew a pair of double-digit leads and lost a game they led entering the fourth quarter for the first time this season. Darius Garland recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 assists while Jaylon Tyson (16 points), Evan Mobley (14 points, nine rebounds in his return after a five-game absence) and De’Andre Hunter (13 points) all got into double figures off the bench.
Advertisement · Scroll to continue
Spurs 117, Thunder 102
De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points as San Antonio handed host Oklahoma City back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
The Spurs have won eight consecutive games — which does not include the NBA Cup final loss to the New York Knicks on Dec. 16 — to extend their longest winning streak since 2018-19. Three of the Thunder’s five defeats this season, including both of their last two, have come to San Antonio.
Photo Credit– Reuters.
