While most of Denver was watching the Broncos pick up a 10th straight win, the Nuggets were busy buzzing the Hornets for their own 10-game win streak, notching double-digit road wins in a row with an 115-106 effort in Charlotte on Sunday.
In the victory, Nikola Jokic passed NBA Hall of Famers Michael Jordan and Chauncey Billups on the NBA’s all-time assists list for 51st ever. Next up is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and then Larry Bird. Jokic slung 11 helpers as part of his Sombor-double of 28 points and nine rebounds.
Jokic was joined by his longtime partner, Jamal Murray, in carrying the crew tonight. The Blue Arrow had his best scoring quarter ever in the first at 23 points and finished with a game-high 34 points as part of his red-hot road trip, where he’s averaging over 30 points a game over his last seven contests.
“Just being aggressive, taking what is given to me and not waiting,” Murray told the broadcast. “Just another day at the offense.”
Tim Hardaway Jr. was the next highest-scoring Nuggets player with 14 points off the bench. The Nuggets were out-rebounded, and the Hornets hit more threes, but Denver held its opponent to the fewest points allowed in a month.
“I don’t think it’s just us,” Muray said, passing the credit to everyone and not just him and Jokic. “Two guys can’t win the game, but the defense, the rotations, the help, the talk, it’s coming from a lot of the guys on the bench. So that’s always a positive.”
Jokic and the Nuggets made their own little historic notes in front of Hall of Fame Nuggets legend David Thompson in his home state, wearing a Denver cap. The all-time assist mark is about three times what Jokic has now, held by John Stockton. But the best road winning streak in NBA history may be gettable, held by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers at 16 consecutive.
“Togetherness, injuries, all the schedule stuff, I just think these guys have been — just a moderation of attitude. Just stay the course, do your job nightly. Face the next challenge. Prepare properly with film and walk walk-throughs, and practices. It’s just a very professional veteran group,” David Adelman said after the game.
Next up for the Nuggets
After beating the Hornets for a seventh-straight time in their barn, the Nuggets have a few days off before traveling to Sacramento on Thursday to wrap u four games in a row on the road. Denver then hosts the Rockets in a big-time clash on Dec. 15.
The Nuggets’ 17-6 start is the best through 23 games in franchise history.
“I don’t think they care (that it’s the best start), I think they just want to go play the next game,” Adelman said. “This is a long, long, long marathon, and this is a good start to the season, 17-6 and the road streak that we’re on, all those things. It’s a cool thing, it’s a really fun group to be around every day, guys just really love basketball, and I love the preparation of it.”
