Nikola Jokic authored one of the most statistically dominant performances in NBA history on Thursday night, scoring 56 points and recording a triple-double to lift the Denver Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-138 in overtime on Christmas Day.
Jokic added 16 rebounds and 15 assists and poured in an NBA-record 18 points in overtime, surpassing the previous mark of 17 set by Stephen Curry in 2016.
The three-time MVP took over the extra period with precision and force, shooting 3-for-3 from the field, 2-for-2 from three-point range, and 10-for-11 at the free-throw line in overtime alone.
Denver improved to 22-8 despite being shorthanded, playing without three regular starters as Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon, and Christian Braun remained sidelined with injuries.
With Johnson unavailable after hyperextending his right knee Tuesday in Dallas, Tim Hardaway Jr. stepped into the starting lineup and delivered 19 points in 41 minutes.
Jamal Murray provided critical backcourt support, scoring 35 points and dishing out 10 assists as the Nuggets leaned heavily on their top creators.
Minnesota nearly stole the game late in regulation behind a spectacular surge from Anthony Edwards, who finished with 44 points after predicting a big Christmas performance earlier in the day.
Edwards scored seven quick points in overtime as the Timberwolves opened the extra session on a 9-0 run, but his night ended early after he was ejected for arguing foul calls and picking up two technical fouls.
Before overtime, Edwards capped a furious comeback by hitting a twisting three-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining to tie the game at 126, erasing a 15-point Denver lead in the final 5:30 of regulation.
The Nuggets responded after briefly falling behind 124-115 late in the fourth quarter, closing regulation on an 11-2 run to force overtime.
By the third quarter, Jokic had secured the 179th triple-double of his career, moving him within two of Oscar Robertson for second place on the NBA’s all-time list.
Minnesota received balanced contributions elsewhere, including 32 points from Julius Randle, 21 points from Jaden McDaniels, and nine rebounds from Rudy Gobert, but defensive breakdowns in overtime proved costly.
Denver finished the night shooting 47 percent from the field and 91 percent from the free-throw line, with Jokic accounting for 22 of the team’s 29 made foul shots.
The Timberwolves fell to 20-11 despite shooting 49 percent overall and outscoring Denver in the fourth quarter.
Up next, Minnesota hosts Brooklyn on Saturday, while the Nuggets continue their road trip in Orlando.
