Nikola Jokic showcased his prowess with a commanding triple-double performance, guiding the Denver Nuggets (45-20) to a thrilling 125-119 comeback victory over the depleted Toronto Raptors (23-42) on Monday night.
The Serbian center’s display included 35 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists, and season-high six steals, marking his 21st triple-double of the season.
Jamal Murray contributed a double-double with 26 points and 12 assists, while Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon added 19 points each.
Despite missing key players like Scottie Barnes, Chris Boucher, and Gary Trent Jr. due to injuries, the Raptors put up a resilient fight, with younger talents like Jontay Porter seizing the opportunity for significant minutes.
RJ Barrett led the charge for the Raptors with 26 points and nine assists. Jontay Porter, the younger brother of Denver’s Michael Porter Jr., delivered a career-high 14 points for the Raptors, while Kelly Olynyk contributed 24 points and Bruce Brown added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Rookie Gradey Dick contributed 17 points and seven assists.
Toronto initially surged to a commanding 22-point lead late in the second quarter and maintained a 68-51 advantage at halftime, but Denver’s resilience came to the fore in the third quarter, fueling their comeback effort.
Despite trailing 107-104 with just under eight minutes remaining, the Nuggets staged a decisive comeback, scoring eight unanswered points to seize control of the game.
