1. Pobody’s Nerfect: Nikola Jokic with another triple-double in three quarters. Joker with another game shooting better than 60 percent from the field and better than 50 percent from three. Joker with another game of plus-20 or better. This is the best he has ever been, and it’s maybe as close as we’ll ever get to a perfect player, offensively.
2. Strawn About: Julian Strawther with another great offensive game with 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting. He’s got the deep ball and the floater and is adding more shake to his game every night. Strawther’s earning his minutes now.
3. Bench Backbone: Aaron Gordon told Michael Malone before he returned from injury that if the team needed him to come off the bench because they were playing so well, he would. AG’s been great since he got back, and Michael Malone raved about his professionalism and selflessness.
4. Quiet: Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook had quiet nights, combining for just 20 points. Westbrook would have had another triple-double if he had played the fourth, but there was no need.
5. Rest Up: This was the fourth straight game that Jokic has gotten to rest in the fourth quarter and somehow he’s still averaging 34 minutes a night in January. But the trend has been great for easing his workload.
6. Scant: Peyton Watson played just 18 minutes in this one and continues to see a reduced role despite better play as of late.
7. The Extra Pass; Michael Porter Jr. in transition had a layup attempt that risked a chasedown. He pumpfaked, then bounce-passed to Braun for an assist. A great play that shows where he’s gotten to as a playmaker.
8. Receipts: Christian Braun with another 20 point performance and a heads up that he bookmarks tweets for motivation. I would bet he’s got more than one of mine in there.
9. Woof: The Sixers are pretty broken and you could hear the screams of someone in their locker room through the walls of Ball that ajoin the visitor locker room to the media room.
10. Up Next: The Nuggets take on the suddenly surging Kings on Thursday at Ball Arena.
