Nikola Jokic's triple-double leads Nuggets past Bucks

DENVER — The Nuggets are glad to have Nikola Jokic back.

After missing three games with a left hip flexor strain following a scary fall against the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 28, Jokic returned in a big way against the Milwaukee Bucks as the Nuggets rode their rising big man to a 121-117 victory.

Jokic was nothing short of phenomenal in front of a packed, 18,972 announced Pepsi Center crowd.

20 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists in 32 minutes, the 21-year-old’s first of what should be many triple-doubles throughout his career that’s only just beginning.

A spirited third quarter from Milwaukee kept the Bucks in a game where Denver led by 70-53 at the half. The Bucks kept the heat on after they outscored the Nuggets 36-28 in the third to close to within five with 8:34 to go in the fourth and then two with 5:32 left in the game.

Another backdoor dime from Jokic, his 11th assist of the night, put Denver up three with 2:31 left. Then, one Kenneth Faried free-throw put the Nuggets up five with 24.4 seconds remaining, which was all Denver needed.

Wilson Chandler scored a team-high 23 points to go with eight rebounds in a game-high 41 minutes. Kenneth Faried recorded 19 points and ten rebounds while Jamal Murray chipped in 18 points on 5-9 shooting off the bench.

For Milwaukee, Jabari Parker led the way with 27 points, Giannis Antetokounmp added 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.

Initially, Denver struggled to readjust to their Jokic-centered attack.

In a sloppy first quarter for both teams, the Nuggets committed six turnovers but were able to out-rebound Milwaukee 15-8. In the first frame Jokic, slowly but surely, made his presence felt.

The Serbian score eight points to go with six rebounds and two assists in the first quarter, then tacked on another nine in the second as the Nuggets went on a 30-13 run to close the half after the two teams were deadlocked at 40.

Jokic finished the half with 17 points, ten rebounds, and six assists. Chandler, who started at small forward for the injured Danilo Gallinari chipped in 14, while Murray poured in 14 points on 5-5 shooting over the game’s first two quarters.

Milwaukee was able to make the Nuggets nervous in the third. The Bucks outscored Denver 27-17 to start the third to draw to within 87-80 at the 5:03 mark of the quarter. Denver’s bench unit was able to stave off the Bucks towards the end of the period as the Nuggets held a nine-point lead heading into the fourth.

In the third, Denver struggled on the offensive end of the floor, a surprise based on how the first half went. A big factor was Matthew Delevedova, who routinely picked up Jameer Nelson full court and kept the Nuggets from getting into their offense early in the shot clock. As a result, Denver shot just 38.1 percent in the third. The Nuggets defense was also nowhere to be seen as the Bucks converted on 13 of their 17 attempts from the field in the quarter and 4-5 from three.

Milwaukee made it a game in the fourth, but in the end, Jokic’s night it was.

Postgame

Michael Malone presented a naked Jokic the game ball in the locker room after his first career triple-double.

“I hugged him. I was naked and I hugged him.”