The Denver Nuggets laced them up for the second night in a row as they visited the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. The Nuggets looked tired, naturally, but everyone climbed on the gargantuan shoulders of their best player, and Nikola Jokić carried them across the finish line.
Final score: 130-116
Nikola Jokić Can’t Be Stopped
Jokić is on an otherworldly tear to open November. Coming into the night, with five games under his belt in the penultimate month of the calendar year, Jokić had averaged 32.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 12.0 assists on 73% from the field.
He picked up where he left off on the second night of a back-to-back, erupting for 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting in his first 12 minutes of action. That’s the highest-scoring quarter of his career. By halftime, Jokić had already posted 33 points on 10-of-15 shooting. That’s the most points scored in a half this season. By the end of the third quarter, he had 52 points. He barely played in the fourth and finished with 55, tying Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the season-high around the association.
Jokić led both teams in points, rebounds, and assists (tied with Bogdan Bogdanovic). He did it all in just 33:34 on the floor.
We are witnessing an outrageous stretch of basketball. It’s one thing to produce like this, but he’s also playing the most efficient hoops of his career. When he misses inside the arc, it’s legitimately shocking. It truly feels like every attempt is going in.
Imagine guarding this guy.
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Cam Johnson banged up
Can Johnson hurt his shooting arm while fighting for a rebound with Ivica Zubac. He intentionally fouled and subbed out of the game with 4:10 remaining in the first. He went straight to the locker room, and the team eventually listed him as questionable with a right arm strain. He did not return.
It’s been a rough start for Cam Johnson. It’s not just the missed threes — he’s been on the wrong end of some hard fouls and tough calls. Johnson’s already popped up on the injury report this season with right shoulder inflammation, though he played through it. Just last night, Johnson seemed to hurt his shooting hand while dunking. It’s too early to tell if the latest injury will keep him off the floor going forward.
Christian Braun gets injured
The Nuggets suffered two injuries in the starting lineup before halftime. Christian Braun left the game at the end of the first quarter after James Harden appeared to step on his foot. Braun returned to the bench in the second quarter before returning to the game shortly after. But it didn’t last. He struggled to run and called for a sub before halftime.
Spencer Jones steps up
Down a pair of starters, David Adelman turned to young Spencer Jones, the two-way contracted forward out of Stanford. He drew the James Harden assignment and started the second half alongside the usual suspects. He committed four fouls quickly, but did enough to disrupt Harden’s rhythm while the Nuggets separated in the third quarter.
