Jokic Hits 200th Triple-Double as Nuggets Beat Pelicans

After the game in New Orleans, a reporter asked Nikola Jokic something that is rarely put to a player who has just reached a historic number: did he remember how many points he scored in his first NBA game, and how? The answer took four words.

“Two. Right-hand hook,” Jokic said briefly.

The detail carries weight next to what happened on the court. On the 11th anniversary of his debut in the world’s top league, Jokic recorded his 200th regular-season triple-double, leading Denver to a 104-91 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

What did Jokic do in New Orleans?

In just under 35 minutes, the Serbian center scored 21 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and handed out 10 assists. He made eight of 13 shots from the field, all of them two-pointers, and did not miss from the free-throw line, going five for five.

That made him only the second player in history to reach 200 regular-season triple-doubles. The first is Russell Westbrook, who needed 1,175 games to get there. Jokic reached the mark in his 814th career game, 361 fewer. Against the Pelicans it was his 16th triple-double.

How far is he from Westbrook’s record?

Counting only regular-season games, Jokic needs nine more triple-doubles to tie Westbrook and ten to pass him and become the league’s all-time leader.

Add the playoffs and the math already flips. Jokic now has 222 triple-doubles in total, while Westbrook, who recently finished his career, stands at 221. Before this game Jokic was level with him, and tonight he moved one ahead.

How did Denver control the game?

The Nuggets led from the first basket to the final buzzer. They quickly built a double-digit lead and won the first quarter 37-18. The second went to the hosts (27-20), but Denver still went into halftime ahead 57-45, and the visitors’ largest lead was 22 points.

The Pelicans were already coming back in the second period, when Zion Williamson gave the visitors plenty of trouble. Denver pushed the gap back up to 17 early in the third quarter, but over the last two and a half minutes of that period the hosts went on a 9-0 run and cut the deficit to six (79-73). In the fourth quarter Denver’s lead never dropped below five points, and the decision came from Christian Braun, who hit three three-pointers down the stretch and made it a 15-point margin a minute from the end. Jokic did not add to his point total in the final quarter.

Jamal Murray was the winners’ top scorer with 23 points and six assists, including five three-pointers on 11 attempts. Braun added 15 points, and Aaron Gordon had 15 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. For the hosts, Williamson scored 25 points with five rebounds and three steals, but the Pelicans hit only seven of 30 three-pointers, or 23.3 percent.

The contrast with the previous meeting was sharp. Four days earlier, on Sunday in Denver, the Nuggets trailed by 23 points and needed overtime to win. This time, under coach David Adelman, they never let the game slip.

What did Jokic say about the game and the young players?

After the game he told reporters how Denver responded to what the Pelicans were doing in the paint:

“I think they scored the most points in the paint, so we adjusted. They were still able to get through, but I think we opened the game well and imposed our rhythm. We controlled the whole game.”

He also spoke about the teammates who are new to the league, the rookies:

“I believe in them, I think they have a lot to offer. Everything is new, they need time. The energy is there, the focus is there. They want to do the right thing, that’s the most important,” Jokic concluded.

What is next for Denver?

After four games of the new season, Denver stands at 2-2, while New Orleans has yet to win. The Nuggets visit the Phoenix Suns on Friday, where Jokic will have a chance to record his 201st triple-double and cut the gap to Westbrook’s record to eight.