Tuesday night, Nikola Joki became the first player to ever get a triple-double, helping the Denver Nuggets defeat the Phoenix Suns by a score of 118-102 in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
Denver currently leads the best-of-seven series 3-2 and needs one more win to progress to the next round. With the victory, the Nuggets retake the upper hand.
As usual, Joki led the Nuggets and made history once more with his outstanding all-around effort.
With his 10th career postseason triple-double, the two-time NBA MVP now holds the record for the most playoff triple-doubles by a centre. He completed the game with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. In order to stand, the Serbian, who is 6’11”, passed Wilt Chamberlain, an NBA Hall of Famer.
alone in his position, proud of his success.
Joki was ready to put the triumph ahead of his own achievement after the resounding victory.
Joki, who is currently averaging 35 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in the series against the Suns, told reporters, “To be honest, I just like to win the game, so whatever it takes.”
Michael Malone, the head coach of the Nuggets, was considerably more gushing.
“Nikola never uses pressure. He’s the kind of guy who will essentially read the game and accept the options it presents, Malone said.
Because of how amazing Nikola Joki’s work is every single night, “I think sometimes we may take him for granted.”
Just two days before to Game 5, Joki had shoved Suns owner Mat Ishbia in Phoenix. However, before Tuesday’s game, the two appeared to make amends with an embrace.
After an evenly matched first half, the third quarter of Game 5 saw the Nuggets seize control, scoring 39 points while the tension between the two teams increased.
In the fourth, after Denver’s guard Bruce Brown looked to be attempting to eavesdrop on a Suns huddle, Kevin Durant pushed Joki. For the incident, Brown and Durant both received a technical foul.
The Suns withdrew their starters and raised the white flag in the middle of the fourth quarter when the Nuggets had a lead of more than 20 points.
Joki was quick to point out that Brown, who came off the bench and scored 25 points, gave Denver a crucial boost throughout the game.
“He can defend, go downhill, and push the pace, and he had 10 free throws,”
Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. both contributed 19 points.
For the Suns, Devin Booker scored 28 points, followed by Kevin Durant with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists.
With Game 6 taking place in Phoenix on Thursday, the home team has now won every game in the series thus far.
Despite the defeat and impending elimination, Booker insists he is optimistic that his team will recover once more, just as they have in the past.
“Yeah. I’ve already visited this place a few times,” Booker told the media. I adore it.
“Each game has a unique character. Each game has its own movie, distinct preparation, and supporting cast. We’re going to watch a movie to see how effective we can