Seven nuggets for the number of triple-doubles Nikola Jokic has racked up in 48 games. The Nuggets are 33-15 after taking down the 76ers 126-110 on Saturday night.
1. Maybe the one-game suspension wasn’t such a bad thing. The Nuggets didn’t need Nikola Jokic to blast the Phoenix Suns on Friday. Jokic got to watch the game from home and rest his legs ahead of a back-to-back against Philly; Wilson Chandler, his former teammate, who got traded to the 76ers this summer, even came over to kick it. Jokic then turned around and played one of his best games of the season, a 32-point, 18-rebound, 10-assist performance he somehow made look mundane.
“Actually, when he don’t have a triple-double I’m surprised,” Torrey Craig said. “He’s an All-Star player, and he’s playing like it.”
Jokic hit two 3s, but he mostly wrecked the 76ers inside. Ten of his 12 baskets came in the restricted area. He was too big, too skilled for Ben Simmons, Mike Muscala or anyone else Philly threw at him.
“He’s proven once again why he’s an All-NBA, All-Star-type player,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “Thank goodness he’s wearing a Nuggets uniform.”
2. Jokic’s vertical is somewhere in the 20s if not the teens, but over the last three seasons, he’s been the best rebounder on the best rebounding team in basketball. How? Timing, anticipation and what’s perhaps the NBA’s surest set of hands all go into it.
Jokic is an expert at tipping the ball to himself. He grabbed six offensive rebounds in this game. “I couldn’t grab it, so I just kind of tap it,” Jokic said. “I’m not athletic, but I have a quick second jump.”
3. The wait to see Denver’s opening night starting lineup continues. Jamal Murray didn’t suit up Saturday after turning his left ankle the night before against the Suns. Murray has dealt with persistent ankle issues this season. He was beginning to near 100 percent when the injury occurred Friday.
“I saw it this afternoon,” Malone said. “It is really, really swollen.”
Murray has only missed two games in his three-year NBA career. He played all 82 as a rookie while dealing with a double sports hernia. It’s unclear if he’ll be able to go Monday in Memphis.
4. Will Barton is starting to look like himself once again. In the last three games, he’s averaging 17.3 points on 54.3 percent shooting, 6 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Barton had 16 on 6-of-11 shooting versus the 76ers. He hit a number of twisting floaters and runners, which should put to rest any lingering concerns about the hip/core injury that cost him 38 games.
5. Turnover issues bothered the Nuggets last season. Their 25-turnover game against the Sacramento Kings a little more than a year ago probably still makes their head coach’s blood boil. This year, they’re doing a much better job of making sound decisions. They’re ninth in turnover percentage compared to 23rd a season ago. Only the Warriors have a better assist-to-turnover ratio. Denver handed out 27 assists compared to 10 turnovers Saturday.
“Our assist-to-turnover ratio as of late has been incredible,” Malone said.
6. Ben Simmons shot a 3, though his end-of-quarter heave probably won’t stop the coward taunts from coming in.
That was the Simmons’ first 3-point attempt of the season and the 12th of his career. He’s still never made one.
7. The Nuggets are dominant at The Can. With a 22-4 record at Pepsi Center, they are tied with Milwaukee for the best home record in basketball. They face the Grizzlies and Pelicans on the road this week before returning for a home date Saturday against the Houston Rockets.
