On December 31st, Beijing time, the NBA regular season saw the Denver Nuggets face off against the Utah Jazz on the road. Despite trailing by 7 points at one point, Nikola Jokic delivered a massive triple-double to lead the Nuggets to a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Jazz managed to close the gap to just 2 points, but Jokic's combination of scoring and passing helped the team pull away once again. Ultimately, the Nuggets secured a 132-121 victory over the Jazz, marking their third win against them this season and their second consecutive win overall. This win propelled the Nuggets past the Los Angeles Lakers to claim the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings, while the Lakers dropped to seventh after being overtaken by both the Clippers and the Nuggets. The Jazz, on the other hand, suffered their fourth consecutive loss.
Statistical Highlights
Nuggets: Nikola Jokic with 36 points, 23 rebounds, and 10 assists; Russell Westbrook with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists; Bruce Brown with 20 points; Michael Porter Jr. with 21 points; Jamal Murray with 20 points and 10 assists; and Bones Hyland with 13 points.
Jazz: Collin Sexton with 24 points; Lauri Markkanen with 17 points; Walker Kessler with 12 points and 13 rebounds; Malik Beasley with 22 points; and Rudy Gay with 14 points.
Notably, Jokic recorded his 13th triple-double of the season, maintaining his league-leading position. In his career, Jokic has now amassed 144 triple-doubles, ranking him third in NBA history behind only Westbrook (201) and Robertson (181). Westbrook, with 201 triple-doubles, continues to set the all-time record.
Game Recap
The Nuggets entered the game with a 17-13 record through their first 30 games, having won their previous match at home against the Detroit Pistons with a score of 134-121. The Jazz, on the other hand, had a 7-23 record and were second-to-last in the West, having lost their last three games. In their two previous encounters this season, the Nuggets had convincingly defeated the Jazz. For this game, the Nuggets were without the services of Aaron Gordon and JaMychal Green, while the Jazz were missing Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert. The first quarter was an offensive showcase, with both teams combining for 73 points as they traded blows. The Nuggets found themselves trailing 19-24 with 4:44 left in the first quarter. However, they quickly mounted a comeback to level the score, and the quarter ended with the Nuggets down by just 1 point to the Jazz, 36-37.
In the second quarter, both teams experienced a dip in offensive efficiency. The Nuggets went on a 9-2 run to take a 6-point lead, but the Jazz responded with a 15-2 surge to go up by 7 points, which marked the Nuggets' largest deficit of the game. Jokic then led the Nuggets on a 10-3 rally to tie the game at 57-57. The teams continued to battle closely, with Sexton making two free throws to give the Jazz a 66-64 halftime lead. In the first half, the Nuggets made 27 shots compared to the Jazz's 23, but they trailed in three-pointers made (5-7) and free throws made (5-13). Three Nuggets players scored in double figures, with Jokic leading the way with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists, followed by Brown and Porter with 10 points each. Westbrook contributed 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists on perfect shooting (4-for-4), while Murray added 9 points and 5 assists. For the Jazz, four players reached double figures, led by Clarkson with 15 points.
After the break, Jokic exploded onto the scene, playing all 12 minutes of the third quarter and scoring 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting. He outscored the entire Jazz team by just 6 points in that period. Jokic's impressive stat line of 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in the third quarter helped the Nuggets outscore the Jazz 34-23, giving them an 11-point advantage and a 98-89 lead heading into the final quarter. Through three quarters, Jokic had accumulated 33 points, 17 rebounds, and 8 assists on 13-of-28 shooting, while Murray had 16 points and 9 assists. All five starters for the Nuggets had scored in double figures. For the Jazz, Clarkson had 20 points and Sexton had 17.
In the fourth quarter, Murray and Porter combined for points to extend the Nuggets' lead to 103-93. The Jazz fought back with three consecutive three-pointers to cut the deficit to 3 points. Murray made two free throws, Senegalese center Gorgui Dieng scored inside, and Watson threw down a thunderous dunk. Filippo Baldi Rossi completed a three-point play to bring the Jazz within 2 points. Jokic hit a three-pointer and Porter made a layup to force a Jazz timeout. Westbrook stole the ball and assisted on a Watson alley-oop, while Kessler responded with an alley-oop of his own. Watson and Brown continued to score, helping the Nuggets expand their lead to 120-109 and prompting another Jazz timeout. Kessler and Westbrook each had a powerful dunk, and Jokic achieved a massive triple-double. Sexton nailed a three-pointer, and Westbrook made two free throws and had a steal and a dunk to extend the lead to 12 points. George made a floater, and Murray's mid-range shot maintained the Nuggets' double-digit lead. The Jazz were unable to mount a comeback, and the Nuggets ultimately emerged victorious, moving up to fifth place in the West.