Jokic posts 32 points, 16 boards; Nuggets top Spurs 102-96

DENVER – Not everyone thought Nikola Jokic should person won the MVP grant past season. His Denver teammates did, and one, successful fact, predicted helium would repeat.

“I’ve ne'er seen cipher play his pace. The dilatory Euro-step is unstoppable,” JaMychal Green said. “A batch of worldly helium does is unstoppable. He’s going to beryllium the MVP again.”

Jokic added much fodder for statement Friday night. He had 32 points, 16 rebounds and overcame six turnovers to pb the Nuggets past the San Antonio Spurs 102-96.

Jokic followed up his 27-point, 13-rebound effort successful Phoenix connected Wednesday with different beardown game. He added 7 assists and 3 steals for Denver. He was serenaded with cheers of “MVP! MVP!” erstwhile helium deed a fadeaway jumper from 13 feet that gave the Nuggets a 100-93 lead.

“He’s a truly spectacular, interesting, antithetic player,” San Antonio manager Gregg Popovich said. “He’s similar a 7-foot Larry Bird benignant of guy. He tin pass, the mode helium reads things — he’s incredible.”

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Keldon Johnson led the Spurs with 27 points, 2 shy of his vocation high, and Derrick White had 16 points.

San Antonio has evolved into an ensemble squad without a standout violative star. On Wednesday night, Devin Vassell was the starring scorer with 19 points. On Friday, helium scored conscionable six connected 7 changeable attempts. Against Denver, it was Johnson’s crook to pb the offense.

The Nuggets bash person a standout prima successful Jokic , whose occurrence is simply a effect of craftiness, not speed. It’s a trait that helium says makes him better.

“I truly deliberation due to the fact that I’m slow. That’s the gait that fits maine and I’m comfy successful that pace,” helium said. “You tin spot however the league is going, everybody is truthful athletic, truthful fast, they tin jump, they tin spell by a guy.”

The Nuggets led by 3 astatine halftime and 83-72 aboriginal successful the 4th erstwhile San Antonio reeled disconnected 10 consecutive points to marque it 83-82. Facu Campazzo deed a layup, Jeff Green dunked and Jokic scored 4 points during an 8-2 Denver run.

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White gave the Spurs 1 past accidental with a 3-pointer with 1:06 left, but Monte Morris made a jumper that sealed the triumph for the Nuggets.

“I’m thrilled. We had 20 turnovers and changeable 25% from 3 and we inactive continued to compete,” Popovich said. “We’ve got to instrumentality attraction of the shot amended and marque amended decisions.”

The Spurs trailed 55-50 earlier scoring 9 consecutive to instrumentality a lead. But Jokic led a Denver rally. Over the adjacent 8 minutes, helium had 7 points and 7 rebounds, drove afloat tribunal for a layup and recovered Campazzo for a driving layup that enactment the Nuggets up by 10.

The Nuggets didn’t way again.

TIP-INS

Spurs: Have mislaid 8 consecutive regular-season games successful Denver, dating to the 2017-18 season. San Antonio’s past triumph wide successful Denver came successful Game 1 of the 2019 first-round playoff series. ... Derrick White grew up successful Parker, Colorado, and played 1 play astatine the University of Colorado.

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Nuggets: G Jamal Murray received a large ovation erstwhile the full squad was introduced earlier the tip. Murray, who had country connected his near ACL successful April, was shooting with the squad earlier the game. ... Michael Porter Jr. scored conscionable 7 points and missed his archetypal 4 3-point attempts earlier draining 1 successful transition.

HELLO MY NAME IS...

Denver rookie defender Bones Hyland was fixed the occupation of revving up the location assemblage earlier the commencement of the crippled and made the astir of it. Hyland, the 26th prime successful the 2021 draft, got the fans going with a quick, enthusiastic code and earned cheers without ever logging a infinitesimal successful the game.

UP NEXT

Spurs: Host the Milwaukee Bucks connected Saturday night.

Nuggets: Host the Cleveland Cavaliers connected Monday night.

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