The 10-piece gives you ten things you need to know from the Nuggets’ 82-game season. Original writing by Matt Moore and Ryan Blackburn.
1. Let Russ Cook: Russell Westbrook started his third game in a row for the injured Aaron Gordon. He put together a perfect triple-double. 16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists. 7-of-7 from the field. 2-of-2 from the line. Zero turnovers. Incredibly impressive performance.
2. Jokic won’t let Nuggets lose: 34 shots is A LOT. 14-of-34 isn’t very efficient. It didn’t matter. Jokic was relentless and put immense pressure on Walker Kessler and the Utah Jazz. 36 points, 22 rebounds, and 11 assists is an insane stat line. Only Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, and Elgin Baylor have ever done that before, and none within the last 55 years.
3. History Made: Jokic does that a lot, but Westbrook joins him this time. It’s the second time in NBA history that a perfect triple-double has occurred, joining Domantas Sabonis. Jokic joins the list if perfect is amended to “100 TS% and zero turnovers.”
4. Don’t Forget about Jamal: Jamal Murray had 20 points an 10 assists as well, and it’s the assists to key in on. Jokic, Westbrook, and Murray are the first trio of teammates with 10+ assists since 1992.
5. Sprinting through Braun Taun: Christian Braun was one of the reasons there were so many assists tonight. He ran in transition relentlessly, attacking after every missed shot and turnover. Braun’s 20 points are the most he’s had since November 8th in a win against the Miami Heat.
6. One Quarter of Defense: It doesn’t take much for the Nuggets to be successful if they play defense. Only 23 points allowed in the third quarter was good enough. The Nuggets won that period 34-23 and never allowed the Jazz to get close again.
7. MPJ’s perfect role: 18 shots for Michael Porter Jr. is a bit better for the Nuggets. It means the ball is finding the shooter, and Porter’s been so efficient this year that getting him more shots is never a bad idea. There’s no reason he can’t finish the year averaging 20 points per game.
8. Watson in Flux: 26 minutes tonight emphasizes that Peyton Watson and the role he plays is important to the Nuggets. Without Aaron Gordon, he’s Denver’s only true frontcourt defender. Buying into that role will earn him more time, not less.
9. Bench is What it is: When Jokic is a +23 and DeAndre Jordan is a -9, that sounds like a reasonable formula to me. Watson, Julian Strawther, and Hunter Tyson have to execute their roles better for the plus-minus to improve.
10. A Year to Remember: 2023-24 didn’t end with a ring. 2024-25 hasn’t started the way many thought. Still, it was an impressive year for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets with many memorable moments. Here’s to 2025 being even better for the Nuggets and their fans.
